


Indigo And Amethyst

by TigereyesF



Category: Thranduil - Fandom
Genre: Adding More Tags As I Think Of Them, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Caring Devoted Thranduil, Comments Are Always Welcome, Drama, F/M, Minor Character Death, Modern Thranduil, Multiple Orgasms, Multiple Sex Positions, Nightclub Life, Romance, Thranduil Love, Thranduil Lust, Thranduil Sex, Thranduil Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-14
Updated: 2018-04-12
Packaged: 2019-03-18 01:05:29
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 60
Words: 178,676
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13671060
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TigereyesF/pseuds/TigereyesF
Summary: Amay (pronounced Aa-may) works as an assistant manager in Indigo's, a nightclub owned by her mentor. His nephew Thranduil flies over from the UK, and Amay finds herself deeply attracted to him. He in turn is infatuated with her, and that's where the drama begins. Heartbreak, comfort, drama, and lots and lots of sex follow as the world around them changes and they try to adjust. Secrets begin to emerge, arguments ensue, and the rollercoaster of life dips and twists.





	1. The Blond God

CHAPTER ONE

Amay smiled to herself as she put her car in park and snapped off her seatbelt. She rolled her shoulders, easing aching muscles that sorely needed a good workout. The flight had been long and tiring, and she hated being cramped in one place for too long.  
Opening the car door, her feet hit the concrete as a warm breeze of air hit her, lifting the ends of her hip-length hair, toying gently with the jet black cascade. She swung out of her seat, stretching and relaxing her body. Taking a deep breath, she glanced around the parking lot.  
She slammed the door closed, shaking her head as she walked in through the unlocked security door of the building. The muffled thump-thump-thump of the sound system reached her ears as she made her way along the rear corridor. As she opened the door to the main floor, she gasped.  
Her boss, Sam, was seated in one of the booths in the far corner, talking to someone. She could only see the back of whoever it was, but by God...what a back. Long, poker-straight blond hair flowed down his back, and she could tell it was definitely a male through the set of his broad shoulders. His hair reached to his waist, and was enough to make most women green with jealousy.  
Shrugging the thought aside, she crossed the threshold and spotted her best friend the same instant that he spotted her.  
“Amayyyy!” Ray yelled, leaping from his seat and hurtling over the floor towards her. She grinned as he flew at her, squealing as he lifted her up and twirled her round and round until she was dizzy.  
“Goddammit Ray-Ban, put me down!” she shouted, laughing.  
“I thought you weren’t due back for another two or three days!” Ray said, pulling back to look at her. He kept a grip on her upper arms. “What happened that you’re back early?”  
“Hey, Amay!” a voice screeched, and she turned to see Vicky making her way over. “You’re back early! We missed you, girl!” She enveloped her in a bear hug.  
“Amay?” another voice called. “How come you’re back?”  
She turned as Gary came over for an obligatory hug.  
“Well I heard y’all were fucking things up left, right, and centre here, so I decided to come home and save your arses,” she laughed. “I’m only a few days early, don’t act like you’ve seen the Second Coming or something.”  
Ray slid his arm around her shoulders. “I missed you, Peach,” he said, using his pet name for her.  
“I missed you too,” she told him. “What’s been happening at Indigo’s while I’ve been away?” She sat on a bar stool, accepting the sweet black coffee Gary slid towards her.  
Ray sighed dramatically. “Not a lot, to be honest,” he said. “Jamie quit, he’s moved to New York.”  
Amay spluttered into her coffee. “He doesn’t know anybody in New York!” she exclaimed.  
“He met some woman on-line, and has just up’d and off’d, just like that.” Ray snapped his fingers in emphasis. “He only just started talking to her about two weeks before you left.”  
“Bloody hell,” she muttered. “Who’s the guy with Sam?”  
Ray grinned. “I’ll let you find that one out for yourself,” he said with a wicked grin. “He’s a bit of a hunk, and that’s all I’m going to say.”  
She chuckled. “That’s all you think about, you sex-mad freak,” she observed. “Are you on shift tonight?”  
“Yes,” he said. “That means I won’t get over for a catch-up until about half past two in the morning.”  
Indigo’s was a popular nightclub that opened six nights a week, and didn’t close up until two o’clock in the mornings.  
“Jog on,” she retorted. “Don’t you dare show up at my door at that time of the morning, I haven’t had a sleep yet. I only flew in this morning.”  
He pouted. “When will we get together for a coffee?”  
“We’re having one just now,” she pointed out. “I’ll call you tomorrow, and we’ll grab a bite to eat, or something.”  
He glanced over her shoulder. “I think boss-man wants you,” he said.  
She twisted round on her seat, and true enough, Sam was beckoning her over. The mystery man still had his back to her, and her interest was at an all-time high.  
“Catch you later, Ray,” she said, and kissed his cheek as she stood.  
He kissed hers. “Try not to drool too much, Peach,” he whispered with a giggle.  
Shaking her head, she left him and went over to the far corner. “Hey Sam,” she said with a grin, opening her arms in welcome as the older man rose to his feet.  
“Amay! We missed you,” he said, wrapping his arms around her in a tight embrace. “When did you get back?”  
“This morning,” she replied as she pulled back a little. “There’s talk of the airport staff going on a 48-hour strike, so I rescheduled. I don’t fancy being caught up in all the delays and the carnage; airports are hectic enough on a good day.”  
Sam grinned. “Smart decision,” he nodded. “I’d like to introduce you to someone,” he continued, and the stranger stood up from his seat and turned to her.  
_Holy fuck _, she thought.__  
“This is my nephew, Thranduil,” Sam said. “He flew in a few days ago, and he’ll be here for a couple of weeks.”  
The stranger extended his hand, and she took it in a handshake. His grip was warm and firm.  
The guy was a God. And huge. His eyes were cool ice blue, chiselled features, and a mouth that just begged to be kissed.  
Giving herself a mental kick, she snapped back to reality. “Pleased to meet you,” she said with a smile. “I hope you enjoy your time here.”  
“I am sure I will,” he replied, a hint of a smile on his full mouth. “My uncle speaks very highly of you Amay, it’s a delight to meet you and put a face to the name at last.” His velvet voice melted into her soul, his accent turning her bones to liquid.  
“Been talking about me, Sam?” she teased, turning to her boss. “I wondered why my ears have been burning.”  
“I didn’t say anything that isn’t true,” he defended himself with a sheepish smile. “This place couldn’t run without you.” He addressed Thranduil. “Amay is my deputy manager, and she’s a godsend.”  
The tall blond before her nodded, pursing his mouth as he mentally appraised her. “Every company needs someone strong and reliable,” he commented.  
“I do my best,” she said. “Where are you staying, with Sam?”  
“No, I’m at the hotel on West Boulevard,” he replied.  
“Nice area,” she observed.  
“Amay, do you think you could show Thranduil around the city?” Sam asked. “It’s his first time here in years, and I think you’d make a good tour guide...you wouldn’t bore him to death or make him wish for the first flight out of here.”  
She grinned. “I have no problem with that,” she replied. “But I’m afraid I really need to sleep first. I’m jet-lagged and sore from sitting the entire flight, but later on I should be a bit more lively. Where in particular would you like to go?”  
Thranduil shrugged. “Anywhere. You’re the boss,” he said. “I do not wish to impose on your time.”  
She waved him off. “Not at all. Any family of Sam’s is our family too, we look after one another,” she said. “If I head home now, I can have a sleep and I’ll pick you up around six-ish this evening? We can go for something to eat if you want, or you can eat earlier...it’s up to you.”  
He smiled, a heart-stopping expression that tapped into her soul. “Dinner sounds fine,” he told her. “I’ll be ready by six o’clock.”  
“Great,” she said with a smile. “I’ll pick you up at the hotel?”  
He nodded.  
“You’ll be in good hands,” Sam told him. “Amay’s like my right hand, I trust her with my life.”  
“Good to know,” he drawled.  
“I’ll see you tonight,” she said, and turned away.  
The second she set foot outside, Ray bounced into view.  
“Well? What happened? Is he my type?” he demanded.  
She laughed. “Give it a rest man, I’ve only just met the guy,” she said. “I don’t know if he’s your type or not, but my instinct right now says he’s not. If I find out any different, I’ll be sure to let you know.”  
His eyebrows came down in a frown. “That’s not much use,” he muttered. “I’d give my back teeth to run my hands through that hair.”  
She laughed. “The amount of candy you eat, your back teeth aren’t worth much,” she quipped. “The only people interested in them would be dentists!”  
“Cheeky bitch,” he grumbled.  
“Yeah, but an honest bitch,” she said. “I’m going to split, I’ll call you tomorrow, ok? Do _not _show up at mine at stupid o’clock. I’ll knock you out if you do,” she warned as she climbed into her car.__  
“Blah blah blah,” he taunted her, making faces at her. She showed him her middle finger as she reversed out, and swung the car around, leaving the parking lot.  
*****  
Thranduil sighed as he closed the laptop down, gazing out of the hotel window. Amay had lodged herself firmly in his head, and refused to leave. His uncle had mentioned her only a few hundred times that morning, and he had been intrigued with the thought of the woman who the running of the nightclub seemed to depend on.  
Meeting her in person had been an eye-opener for him.  
The main thing about her that caught his attention was her hair. It was jet black, as straight as a die, and fell to her hips. Her eyes were deep blue, and she’d outlined them with black eyeliner that tipped up at the outer corners, giving her an exotic look. He was pretty sure she laughed often, judging by the tell-tale creases when she smiled. Her accent struck a familiar chord, the broad Scots brogue being fairly prominent where he worked.  
She had a body to die for, and he frowned as he acknowledged the fact. Standing smaller than him – most of the populated world stood smaller than him – she had been wearing tight jeans that hugged her thighs and her backside like a second skin. Her white vest-top was low-cut, but not indecent, just enough to give him a view of a cleavage he would kill to explore. Her breasts had pushed against the stretchy fabric as though they were seeking freedom.  
Or someone to explore them.  
He shook his head, tutting in annoyance. She was his uncle’s most trusted employee, not someone he should be thinking about taking to bed. His full mouth pursed in deep thought as he backtracked in his mind, sure that she hadn’t worn a ring on her third finger. Not that the fact meant much, but it could be something.  
Heaving a heartfelt sigh, he tossed the laptop onto the couch beside him and stood up, heading for the shower.  
Preferably cold, if he was to get through the evening ahead.  
*****  
Amay checked her hair and makeup in the rear view mirror before she climbed out of the car. As long as her eyeliner and mascara were intact and her hair hadn’t frizzed, she was content enough. She smoothed a hand down her black pants, hoping she looked presentable. Having chosen a sleeveless black top that consisted of transparent black lace from the swell of her bust to the neckline, she decided that she’d pass. Black flip-flops with silver sparkles and her silver hoop earrings completed the ensemble, and if he didn’t approve, tough luck. She was comfortable.  
The porter smiled and nodded to her as she stepped through the automatic doors into the hotel, the interior a pleasant cool contrast from the heat outside. She walked over towards the bar, seeing Thranduil sitting on a stool with a coffee before him.  
He turned in her direction before she reached him, and smiled. “You look fresher,” he observed.  
“Thankyou,” she smiled back. “It’s amazing what a sleep and a shower can do.”  
“Coffee, before we set off?” he asked.  
“Why not?” she replied, and sat on the stool next to him. She was instantly aware of the scent of him, masculine, fresh, and unique.  
He signalled for another coffee. “I do hope I’m not imposing,” he said to her, leaning one arm on the bar and turning to face her. “My uncle kind of dropped his request on you.”  
“Not at all,” she assured him. “I remember my first day here...it was...overwhelming? I think that’s the only word I can use.” She ended with a laugh.  
“Tell me about yourself,” he said, sliding the coffee towards her that had been presented to him.  
She tore open a couple of sugar sachets. “Well, I hail from the same patch of land that you do, judging by your accent,” she said, stirring her coffee. “Although I’m a couple of hundred miles north. I’ve been here eight years this summer.”  
He watched her, his alert gaze absorbing everything. Particularly the white gold celtic mesh ring she wore on the index finger of her right hand.  
He wore an almost identical one, on the same finger.  
“How did you end up so far away from home?” he asked, sipping his coffee.  
“I needed a change,” she replied. “I’d been here on holiday years ago, and decided what the hell...you only live once. So I quit my job, packed up and arrived here.”  
He smiled, staring into his cup. “Impulsive,” he commented.  
“Maybe,” she agreed. “Sometimes you have to turn the page and start over though.”  
“Is that what you did?” Ice blue eyes lifted to hers.  
“In a way. I was bored, suffocated, and I needed something different. Indigo’s turned out to be that something different,” she told him. “I love what I do, I love the music, the atmosphere, the whole package.” She drank from her cup. “What about you?”  
“Sam’s sister is my mother,” he said. “She met my father and moved to the UK when they married; that’s where he was from. I don’t think she’s ever been back this side of the Atlantic since.”  
“Are you an only child?”  
“Yes,” he said.  
“I kind of knew that somehow,” she said thoughtfully. “But I don’t know how, I just did.”  
He smiled and drained the last of his coffee.  
“So what do you do for a living?” she asked.  
“Investments,” he replied. “I have my own company, which I run with my business partner, Bard. We’ve been doing it for fifteen years.”  
She finished her coffee, and put the cup back onto the bar. “Shall we?”  
He rose to his feet, placing his hand under her arm as she swung from the stool.  
“How tall are you?” she asked with a frown.  
He grinned. “Six feet five,” he replied.  
“Jesus,” she muttered. “Did your mother stick you in a gro-bag in the greenhouse or something?”  
He laughed heartily. “My father was tall,” he told her.  
“Was?”  
“Hmm. He passed away a few years ago.”  
“I’m sorry,” she said softly.  
He shrugged. “I have good memories,” he said, his hand having moved to her lower back as they left the hotel. “Damn, it’s still sticky hot out here.”  
“Which is why I prefer working at night,” she said. “No sunlight, not as much heat. I’m a little bat, I think.” She beeped the car alarm off, and he opened the driver’s door for her. “Thankyou,” she said.  
“You’re welcome,” he answered, closing it once she was seated.  
She watched him circle the car, telling herself to get her sex drive under control as she admired his impossibly long blond hair.  
“A car I can actually get comfortable in,” he observed, sitting in the passenger seat and fastening his seatbelt as she did hers.  
“There’s much to be said for having a four-wheel drive,” she agreed as she started the engine. The Honda CRV moved smoothly away from the sidewalk into the flow of traffic. “So what do you want to see?”  
_You in my bed _, he thought. “I have no idea, as I have no knowledge of the area,” he said instead.__  
She smiled, glancing in her mirror as she overtook the car in front and floored the CRV. “Well, you can hit all the touristy-spots, but to be honest, most of them will be closing soon,” she said. “Or you can see the bits that are gorgeous in their own right but the tourists miss them out because they’re not on the map they give out at the airport. Your choice.”  
“I think the second option is a better choice,” he said. “I’m happy to go wherever.”  
The next three hours took them all over the city, going from the famous parks, admiring architecture of some of the city’s ancient buildings, the areas where the occasional celebrity resided, and ending on the bridge that sparkled with lights as the darkness had fallen around them.  
By the time they arrived back at his hotel, she felt like she’d known him for years instead of a few hours. He made her laugh, and she felt safe and relaxed with him.  
“I do not think burgers and hot dogs from a stand count as dinner,” he said as he undid his seat belt. “Are you working tomorrow night?”  
She shook her head. “No. I’m not on shift until Saturday,” she replied.  
“How about dinner tomorrow then?” he questioned. “If you’re not busy.”  
“That sounds great,” she said. “What time?”  
He inhaled through his nose. “How about the same time?”  
“Same place?” she asked with a grin. “I’ll be here.”  
“Thankyou for this evening,” he said. “I had a great time.”  
She tipped her head in acknowledgement. “You’re welcome,” she said. “There’s so much you haven’t seen, but maybe you’ll have time while you’re here.”  
“If you’ll show me, I’ll make time,” he told her. “Goodnight, Amay.”  
“Goodnight, Thranduil,” she replied.  
He got out of the car and closed the door, long strides taking him into the hotel. She watched him until he disappeared from sight, then took a deep breath as she leaned her head back on the head rest of her seat.  
_Holy Christ _.__  
She’d never met a man as stunningly handsome as him, and who was completely down to earth about it. His manners were impeccable, he was a gentleman through and through.  
Puffing her cheeks as she exhaled, she shook her head as she pulled away, wondering how the hell such a creature could exist without being mobbed everywhere he went. And how she’d ended up spending the evening with him.  
*****  
The following day, Amay gutted her apartment. She changed her bedding, vacuumed, dusted, did all her laundry, then collapsed on the couch once she had finished. Pleased that her home looked decent again, she smiled as she closed her eyes and relaxed. Before she knew it, she was blinking herself awake and the clock was showing half past four in the afternoon.  
She dragged herself up with a groan and a yawn, wandering through to the bathroom and wondering what she should wear. Dinner with Thranduil sounded like a great way to spend her evening, but she was nervous.  
Nervous because of the way he made her feel, the way the butterflies leapt around in her stomach every time he looked at her, and the way her inner demon kept whispering obscene things in her ear.  
After a quick shower, she decided on a pink long-sleeved top with a deep V neck, that had sections cut away from the shoulders and down the arms, teamed with black pants and her usual flip-flops. She sectioned her hair, pulling the top into a ponytail and leaving the bottom flowing down her back. Light makeup and her hooped earrings were her final touches, and she painted her toenails deep blue as she had ten minutes to spare before leaving to pick up her dinner companion.  
Taking a deep breath to strengthen her nerves, she left her apartment and went down to her car.


	2. First Kiss

CHAPTER TWO

Thranduil studied Amay across the table, watching her battle the amusement. She pulled her mouth in, then pursed it in an attempt to hold back the laugh she was itching to release.  
“I can see you are amused,” he said dryly, turning his attention to the steak on his plate.  
“No, no,” she insisted, spearing a baby potato with her fork. “Not in the slightest.”  
Ice blue eyes lifted to hers, in a look that clearly said _hell will freeze over before I believe that _.__  
She snorted softly, before dropping her knife and fork and giving in to the laughter. “I’m sorry,” she laughed, wiping tears of amusement from her eyes. “It’s not funny, honestly.” Making an effort to straighten her face, she picked up her cutlery again, the corners of her mouth twitching.  
He put his down, clasping his hands under his chin and watching her, daring her to look over.  
She refused to acknowledge him, although she could feel the weight of his stare. Glancing at someone walking past them, she did everything she could to avoid looking at him. “So I guess you didn’t speak to your mother for a while after that,” she said.  
Silence.  
Finally looking at him, she burst out laughing again as she saw him fighting the same amusement.  
“It was just one of those things,” he laughed, lifting his cutlery again. “I suppose anyone could have done it, it’s a simple mistake to make.”  
“An eighty-quid shirt that came out of the laundry to fit a two-year-old?” she said. “I’d have gone mad.”  
He shrugged. “What was the point? It had been done, there was nothing I could do about it, except go and buy another shirt and make sure she didn’t wash it.”  
She sighed in pleasure as she took a bite of her steak. “This is delicious,” she said. “So what other family have you got?”  
“A son,” he replied, and her heart skipped a beat. “Legolas. He’s twenty, and is attending university.”  
“You must have started young,” she observed.  
“I married when I was eighteen,” he replied.  
Her eyes met his, but she said nothing.  
“My wife died when Legolas was three years old,” he said, his tone dropping slightly.  
“Oh my God,” she whispered. “Thranduil, I’m so sorry. That must’ve been really hard, and bringing up a small child at the same time.”  
“No-one promises life will be easy,” he said, after a short pause. “I raised my son the best I could, I did what I could. We survived.”  
She stayed quiet, not sure how to respond. “Does he remember his mother?” she asked, eventually.  
“Not really,” he replied. “He has very vague memories, but very few.”  
“You’ve lost a few important people in your life,” she said. “I can’t imagine losing a husband at what...twenty one? Twenty two?”  
“Just before I turned twenty two,” he said. “I thought my world had come to an end.” Pained eyes met hers, and he looked away to pick up his glass of wine.  
“I don’t know what to say,” she murmered.  
“There’s nothing you can say,” he answered. “People die. Things change. Life moves on. There is nothing you can do except learn and adapt.”  
“Yeah...I’ve been there,” she said softly. She inhaled through her nose, turning her attention back to what she was eating.  
“You sound like you’ve been through trials and tribulations of your own,” he observed, watching her as he sipped his wine.  
“A few,” she said. “No more and no less than other people, I suppose.” She felt uncomfortable under his gaze, as though he could see her soul. “I moved over here to get away from someone.”  
His glass lowered. “A partner?”  
She nodded. “Why am I telling you this?” she murmered.  
“Because we feel comfortable with each other,” he replied. “I very seldom speak of my wife. This is the first time I have mentioned her to anyone in years.” The glass was placed on the table. “Talk to me about why you came here.”  
She sighed. “Talk about ruin an evening,” she said with a humourless laugh.  
He shook his head. “We’ll do something afterwards to cheer ourselves back up,” he promised. “Some things need to be aired for people to move forwards.”  
“My ex boyfriend was a complete charmer to begin with,” she told him.  
“Relationships usually start that way,” he said with a gentle smile.  
“I clocked about a year into it that we had problems. And they didn’t go away, they just grew bigger and bigger,” she said. She pushed a potato around her plate as she spoke. “But I tried to make it work, tried to believe that what we had was worth fighting for.”  
“Was he abusive?” he asked.  
“Yes, he eventually turned that way,” she said. “By then, I was believing all the crap he was telling me, like I was lucky to have him, and all that shit. It’s funny what you tolerate when you love someone.”  
“So what made you walk away?”  
“He broke my nose,” she said on a sigh. “When I was pregnant.”  
His eyebrows lifted. “You have a child?”  
She shook her head. “No. Not after that. He made sure of that.”  
Thranduil lowered his head, shaking it. “I’m so sorry, Amay,” he whispered. He reached across the table and took her hand in his, squeezing her fingers before releasing her.  
“Like you said, people die, things change, and life moves on,” she said. “I can’t change the past, so I cut ties and left every bad memory behind, created a new life here.”  
“From what I have seen, you appear to be an honest, reliable person who did not deserve to be treated like that,” he said. “And my uncle thinks you walk on water, so that has to be a good thing.”  
She smiled. “I don’t know about the walking on water part, but I do tend to be loyal to a fault, and it’s one of my biggest weaknesses.”  
He lifted an eyebrow. “I do not think so,” he murmered.  
“How come you’re visiting Sam anyway?” she asked. “He’s mentioned a nephew a few times, but this is the first we’ve seen proof that you exist.”  
He grinned. “I haven’t seen him for years,” he replied. “And I fancied a holiday, so I thought I would combine the two. He’s just as I remembered him to be.”  
“I don’t see him ever changing,” she said. “He’s amazing to work for, but is too soft sometimes. I’m always telling him to get a backbone and stand up to the ones who take advantage of him.”  
“How do people take advantage?”  
She shrugged. “Come into work late, don’t come in at all, leave early, that kind of thing,” she answered. “It’s usually me who goes medieval on them; Sam’s more laid-back and casual about things.”  
Thranduil’s eyes narrowed slightly, but he changed topics.  
A couple of hours later, they were strolling along the concrete walkway that ran parallel to the beach. The sky was inky black with a full moon that hung low over the waves, with millions of stars dotted across the heavens.  
“Do you see yourself spending the rest of your life here?” he asked.  
She contemplated her reply. “Probably,” she said after a while. “Forever is a long time. Old age is years away for me. Sometimes it’s hard to plan as far ahead as that. Sometimes you just have to live for the moment.”  
They stopped, and Thranduil stood with his hands in his pockets as they gazed out across the water. A peaceful silence hung over them, a comfortable lull in the non-stop conversations they’d had all evening.  
“I really enjoyed dinner,” she said eventually, turning to him with a smile. “You’re an interesting guy to share a meal with.”  
He returned her smile, looking down at his feet before looking back at her. “I haven’t taken a lady out to dinner in a long, long time,” he admitted. The warm breeze played with the ends of his long hair. “I wasn’t sure if I remembered what I was supposed to do, how I was expected to behave.”  
A smile appeared as she started laughing.  
“You did fantastic, considering you’re rusty,” she assured him. “There aren’t many gentlemen left in this world.”  
Her smile faded slowly as she gazed up at him, reading the change in his eyes. Her lips parted without her knowledge as he closed the distance between them, lowering his head and capturing her mouth with his. Her eyes drifted closed at the touch of his flesh against hers, a sharp stab of desire gathering between her legs.  
Her hands lifted to rest on his shoulders as he slid his from his pockets, gently touching her waist. His lips moved on hers, coaxing her to respond as he slowly deepened the kiss. She moaned softly as his tongue swept over her lower lip before pushing inside her mouth.  
The kiss changed.  
Her arms wound around his neck, pulling him closer as his slid around her back and crushed her to him. He invaded her mouth, demanding access and hungrily taking it as she gave it. Her hands tangled in his hair as she returned his kiss with growing passion, amazed at how she flourished under his touch. Heat infused itself through her top as his hands wandered up and down her back, his caress firm and possessive. Lifting herself up onto her toes, she pressed even closer to him.  
He eventually pulled back, but his arms remained around her. Gazing down into her eyes, he smiled, a gentle smile. “I promised we’d do something to cheer ourselves up,” he whispered.  
She returned his smile. “You did,” she replied. “I’d do well do remember your promises.”  
He lifted a hand and tucked her hair behind her ear. “I hope I wasn’t too forward,” he said.  
“If you were, then so was I,” she said. “I think I wanted that as much as you did.”  
A shy smile appeared. “I’ve thought of little much else these last two days,” he murmered.  
“Me neither,” she admitted. “What are we doing?”  
“Living for the moment,” he told her, copying her earlier words. “Come on, let’s walk back to the car. It’s getting a little colder.”  
They walked hand in hand back along the walkway, again with a comfortable silence between them.  
Once they pulled up outside the hotel, he turned and framed her face in his hands, softly kissing her mouth.  
“Thankyou for a wonderful evening,” he said huskily.  
“You’re welcome, and thank you,” she said. “I enjoyed myself.”  
“Good,” he said. “Can I call you tomorrow?”  
She took a pen from the dashboard and scribbled her cell phone number and her home number on a piece of scrap paper, handing it to him.  
He leaned back to her and kissed her once more, before getting out of the car. “Sleep well, Amay,” he said.  
“You too,” she said.  
He paused, frowning. “Is Amay short for something?”  
She grinned, dropping her head. “Amethyst,” she told him, looking back at him.  
“Amethyst,” he repeated, the name rolling off his tongue like silk. “I prefer that. Goodnight, Amethyst.”  
“Goodnight, Thranduil,” she said, unable to stop her grin as he closed the door. Again, she watched him walk into the hotel, admiring the God who had made her feel things she hadn’t felt in a long, long time. He turned once inside, lifting a hand in a wave. She waved back and drove away.  
*****  
An hour later, she was restless.  
She was aroused beyond belief.  
Ray had been calling non-stop, but she ignored the phone. Having caller display was a blessing, as she didn’t feel like going into detail about what had transpired between Thrandul and herself.  
Her cell beeped as a text message came through.  
Damn Ray.  
_I can’t stop thinking about you, about our kiss _.__  
Thranduil.  
She smiled idiotically. _I can’t get you out of my head either _, she sent back.__  
_Is that a good thing _? he asked.__  
_Lol you tell me _, she replied.__  
_I want to see you _.__  
_When _?__  
_Now _.__  
Her heart pounded. This could only go one way if they were to meet up.  
_Where _? she sent.__  
_Here. There. Anywhere _.__  
_I must be asking for trouble _, she sent, along with her address.__  
_Let me worry about trouble. I’ll be with you within half an hour _, he sent back.__  
She tossed her phone aside, bouncing up off the couch and flying around the apartment tidying anything that looked out of place. Glancing at the candles she had lit when she’d arrived back, she wondered if it looked like a seduction ploy, then decided to hell with it; her place was littered with half-burned candles.  
She gasped in fright as her door pounded, only seventeen minutes after his last text. Opening the door, she stared into ice blue eyes as he towered in the doorway. Stepping back, he stepped into the apartment, not taking his eyes off hers as he closed the door, framed her face with both hands and kissed her deeply.  
The breath left her as his mouth explored hers, his tongue winding around hers and leading it in an erotic dance. He made soft moaning sounds as he kissed her, twisting and turning to deepen the kiss and take everything he could from it.  
Dragging his mouth from hers, he breathed heavily. “What are you doing to me?” he said.  
She swallowed. “I don’t know,” she whispered, not trusting her voice. “I don’t know what this is, or what to do with it.”  
He kissed her again, tightening his arms around her so her body was pressed tightly against his own, her soft curves moulding to the hard muscular planes. Her knees seemed to lose the power to support her, and she clung to him. His erection was heavy, pushing insistently against her, his breathing laboured as his mouth moved on hers.  
He pulled back again, taking deep breaths as he rested his forehead against hers, his eyes closed.  
Several seconds passed before he lifted his head, ice blue eyes staring into hers so deep, she was sure he could see her thoughts.  
Exhaling heavily through his nose, he slowly and reluctantly released her, stepping back a little and stuffing his hands into his pockets. “I’m not sure why I came over,” he said.  
She smiled. “I am,” she replied. “Coffee?”  
“Please. What do you think I came for?”  
“Sex,” she said over her shoulder as she went in through the lounge and into the adjoining kitchen. Switching the kettle on, she turned and leaned against the worktop, her arms folded across her. “Am I wrong?”  
“No. Yes. No,” he said, shaking his head. He dragged both hands through his hair, sighing as though he had the weight of the world on his shoulders. “I want you Amay, I can’t deny that. I want you so much, I ache for you. But I don’t think you are that kind of woman, and I do not want to rush into this. You are too special, too rare, to throw caution to the wind for a fling.”  
Her astonishment showed on her face. “Wow,” she murmered.  
“What? What did I say wrong?”  
“Nothing. It’s just...fuck...not many men would have that outlook,” she said slowly, wondering how the hell he had stayed single for so long if he treated women with such respect. “Most of the guys I know would have jumped at the chance for a roll in the hay without giving it a second thought. Not that I’d be offering,” she added with a laugh.  
He smiled. “I know you wouldn’t,” he told her, stepping closer and stroking his forefinger down her cheek. “And I think you know the wrong type of guys.”  
“I think of it more as you’re a rare breed, Thranduil,” she corrected him. “Very few people these days seem to care about what the other one thinks, or wants, or needs.”  
“I do,” he whispered. “I care.”  
She gazed into his eyes, lost in the icy blue that held hers. “I know you do,” she said. “I don’t know how I know, but somehow I do.”  
The kettle behind her clicked off, and she turned to make the coffee. Handing his mug to him, she went back through to sit on the couch, and he followed her. He settled next to her, his arm across her shoulders and pulling her side against his.  
“For what it’s worth...I want you so much too,” she admitted, risking a glance at him. “And I don’t usually give out that fast. Never.”  
“Like you, I also somehow know that,” he said.  
“I don’t want to have my heart broken,” she said softly.  
“I will not break it, Amethyst, that’s my promise,” he replied.  
She laughed quietly. “I don’t see any other alternative, being realistic. We live on opposite sides of the world. How can one of us – if not both of us – not end up being hurt?”  
“I have already lost almost an entire night’s sleep going over that problem,” he admitted. “My only conclusion is that modern man invented airplanes, and they are there to be used.”  
“How long are you here for?” she asked, sipping her coffee.  
“A few weeks, maybe longer,” he answered. “I’ve emailed Sam continually over the years, but it’s good to see him and spend time with him. I plan to do so as much as I can while I’m here...and with you too.”  
She could feel herself drowning in his eyes. Setting her mug down, she lifted her hands and placed them on either side of his face, touching her mouth against his. He responded instantly, his warm lips coaxing hers apart as he explored her like he had never kissed her before. The kiss started slowly and with tenderness, but heat soon flared to life between them and passion mounted.  
His nostrils flared as he pulled back, resting his head against the back of the couch. She leaned against his shoulder, his warm hand rubbing her arm in a lazy motion.  
“As much as I want to take you to bed and worship you in every way possible, I feel we should enjoy each other and take things as they come,” he murmered.  
She glanced up at him, absorbing every detail. His eyes were closed, his long blond hair falling over his shoulders, his full mouth more appealing than anything else in the world. “I like your thinking,” she said softly. “All I need to do is tell my sex-drive to behave and chill out.”  
He burst out laughing, opening his eyes and looking into hers. “I cannot say mine is any different,” he told her. He gently lifted her hair away from her face. “Every time I think of you I find myself unable to walk.”  
She grinned, turning her head and kissing his palm as it rested against her cheek. Heaving a sigh, she settled back against him, curling her legs beneath her. “I just can’t help worry we’re going to break each other’s hearts,” she said.  
He kissed the top of her head. “I have made you a promise, and I do not break my promises,” he said. “We will see what happens, my angel. Time will tell.”


	3. Closer

CHAPTER THREE

Indigo’s was heaving.  
The Saturday night crowd was in full force, and the place was packed to the rafters over two floors. Music blasted from speakers placed at various points around the building, alcohol flowed freely, and the crowds danced the night away.  
Amay snorted to herself. Most of the clubbers looked like they were throwing epileptic fits as opposed to dancing, but anything went on the dance floor. She rolled her shoulders and folded her arms, keeping her alert gaze on the crowd below.  
“Hey Peach, how’s things?” Ray demanded, sliding to a stop beside her and throwing a ridiculous pose.  
“Alright,” she replied, flashing him a grin. “This lot are behaving themselves so far. What about you, what have you been up to?”  
“I was chatting with that _adorable _hunk of a nephew of Sam’s earlier,” he gushed. “Good God, that man is fucking stunning.”__  
She smiled. “And he’s straight,” she told him.  
“Don’t I goddamned know it,” he spat. “What a waste.”  
She threw her head back and laughed. “There are good looking guys on your side of the fence as well,” she reminded him.  
“Not with hair like that though,” he said. “I’ve never seen anyone with hair like that! Maybe yours, when you’ve bothered with it, but it’s a different colour.”  
She rolled her eyes. “I think there might be a left-handed compliment in there somewhere,” she muttered. “Although it might take me a while digging for it.”  
“Yanno I love ya, Peach,” he said with a smile.  
“When you want something,” she said dryly. “Uh-oh...check that out.” She indicated down onto the floor, where a couple of guys were starting to get a little boisterous. “Come on, let’s go down and keep on top of things.”  
Ray followed her down the steps, walking over the dance floor shoulder to shoulder with her. By the time they approached the small group, fists were flying.  
“C’mon guys, break it up and take it outside,” Amay yelled over the music.  
They ignored her, facing off against one another and provoking each other.  
“Ok, time to go,” she shouted, grabbing one of them and twisting his arm up his back. Ray grabbed another and followed suit, and they marched them towards the main doors.  
The man that Amay had hold of twisted out of her grip and punched her, knocking her back into Ray and his potential ejectee. She swung her leg around in a high kick, catching him on the side of his jaw, and he staggered back before losing his balance and falling to the floor. Grabbing one handful of his hair and a handful of his clothing, she dragged him backwards through the crowd and dumped him at the feet of the two doormen.  
“Get rid of him,” she commanded.  
Ray shoved the one he was holding through the doors, and they turned back to the others who had been fighting. By the time they reached them, two other staff had split them up and were in the process of removing them from the premises.  
Amay nodded in acknowledgement to her staff, and sighed as she held a hand up to her eye.  
“That’s gonna bruise, Peach,” Ray told her, bending down and examining her.  
“Yeah, I know,” she said. “I think that shithead must train with Mike Tyson or something.”  
“C’mon, let’s have a coffee,” he said, sliding his arm around her shoulders. “We’re due a break anyway.”  
They crossed over to the massive circular bar that sat in the middle of the floor, where Gary slid two coffees towards them.  
“Are you guys ok?” he yelled over the music.  
“Yeah, we’re fine,” she replied. “Cheers for the coffee.”  
“Leave mine here, I need to use the restroom,” Ray said. “Don’t get into anything until I’m back.”  
He disappeared amongst the throng, and she leaned one arm on the bar as she scanned the crowd.  
A gentle touch at her elbow made her turn.  
“Thranduil!” she said in surprise, a smile spreading across her face. “I didn’t know you would be here tonight.”  
He lowered his head and gave her a soft kiss, before pulling back with a frown. “I’m not happy with what I saw,” he said, speaking close to her ear so she could hear him.  
“How d’you mean?” she asked.  
“A man hit you,” he replied.  
She laughed. “It goes with the territory,” she assured him. “Too much testosterone and alcohol. Don’t worry about it.” She turned to take a drink of her coffee, but he touched her chin and turned her to look up at him.  
A frown lay heavy over his eyes. “That will bruise by the morning,” he said.  
“Probably. Nothing make-up can’t hide,” she said.  
He stayed silent, watching her. “I am not comfortable with this,” he said eventually.  
“With what?”  
“You being used as a punch-bag,” he said. “It isn’t right.”  
She shrugged, sipping her coffee as he released her. “It doesn’t always happen,” she told him. “Just now and again, things will get out of control, and when that happens, whoever is involved needs to be outside. People don’t pay to come into a fight pit, they come to enjoy themselves.”  
“I do not like the idea of you being harmed,” he said. Shaking his head, he took her hand. “Come upstairs with me.”  
“Ooo,” she laughed, and he grinned at her over his shoulder.  
“I was with Sam, so nothing like what your dirty little mind is thinking,” he told her as they went up the stairs to the offices.  
“And whose fault is it that my dirty little mind is thinking dirty little things?” she teased.  
He stopped at the top of the stairs, dragging her hand behind his back and tugging her against him. “There is nothing little when it comes to us, my angel,” he whispered, as his mouth touched hers.  
Heat flared in his eyes as he pulled back with a smirk, turning and leading her to the main office.  
“Hey, how you doing, Amay?” Sam greeted her. “Well controlled down there.”  
“I’m alright Sam,” she grinned, battling with the arousal that had spiked at Thranduil’s innuendo. And his kiss. And his touch. And the very air he breathed. “I didn’t know Thranduil was here tonight.”  
Sam smiled. “It’s good to spend time with him,” he replied. “Is Ray behaving himself?”  
“In a manner of speaking,” she replied, throwing her weight down into one of the padded seats across the table from him. “I think we need to think about maybe two more staff on at the weekends, Sam. It’s been absolutely jumping out there.”  
He nodded. “I’m going to have a look at the schedule for next weekend, and see where I can make a few adjustments. We’ve been lucky so far tonight, that’s the only trouble we’ve had.”  
“So far,” Thranduil’s deep voice said behind her. He had placed himself at her back, his hands resting on her shoulders, a move which didn’t go unnoticed by his uncle.  
“Can you come in on Monday morning and oversee the stock take?” Sam asked.  
“Sure, what time?”  
“Ten o’clock? That should give you time to sleep...or whatever,” he said.  
She lifted one eyebrow. “Ten is fine,” she said dryly. “Who’s doing the count?”  
“Alina, Dan, and Steve,” he answered.  
She nodded in approval. “Okay-dokey, if I don’t see you before, I’ll see you then,” she said with a smile as she stood.  
“Listen...uh...why don’t you head off home? Have yourself an early night?” her boss suggested.  
“It’s only half past midnight,” she said. “We don’t close until two.”  
He shrugged. “That’s alright, they can cope,” he told her. “Ray told me he brought you into work tonight, so Thranduil can take you home.”  
She narrowed her eyes at the mischievous look in his, deciding he was playing match-maker. “Well, if you can handle things around here, I won’t refuse an early finish,” she said decidedly. “That’s if Thranduil would like to drive me home?” She turned to him.  
“It would be my pleasure,” he said with a smile. “I rented a car this morning.”  
“I shall see you on Monday then,” she said to Sam, who grinned in response.  
Following Thranduil out of the office, she gasped as he suddenly pinned her against the wall outside and kissed her hungrily.  
“I’ve been wanting to do that since I got here three hours ago,” he whispered. His mouth crushed hers again, his hands wandering as he kissed her with mounting passion. She gripped fistfuls of his black shirt, hauling him as close to her as physically possible, moaning softly at the sensations of his solid body pressing intimately against hers. He pushed his hips into hers, the evidence of his arousal hard and heavy against her, and he groaned as he kissed his way down her neck.  
“This probably isn’t the most romantic place to do this,” she panted, her skin burning with the need to feel his naked flesh on hers. Her head tipped back and a groan of pleasure left her as his teeth bit into her neck. “Oh my God...”  
Kissing his way back up, he captured her mouth again, his tongue demanding entry that she didn’t refuse. “I can’t get enough of you,” he moaned against her. “I need you so much...”  
“So that’s why you dumped me during our break!” A voice burst the erotic bubble surrounding them, and they pulled apart to see Ray standing at the end of the hallway with his arms crossed. He laughed. “Don’t mind me, guys. This is too heterosexual for my liking!” He grinned and took off.  
Thranduil looked back at Amay, wondering what the hell that was all about.  
She laughed. “He has the hots for you,” she explained.  
“Oh good grief,” he muttered.  
“I know,” she said, shaking with laughter. “Never mind. He’ll live.”  
“Let’s get out of here,” he decided, taking her hand and leading her down the back stairwell. “There are too many people around for my liking.”  
She followed him down the stairs, bouncing down the last two steps and heading out of the fire exit door. The cool fresh air hit her with a blast, refreshing her senses and making her feel alive again after being surrounded by crowds of people and alcohol fumes all night.  
“Do you want to go straight home, or do you want to do something else?” he asked, walking her towards a gleaming black 4x4.  
Hundreds of unspoken words passed between them as her eyes met his. “What would you like to do?” she asked.  
“Can I say ‘you’ without getting a slap?” he grinned, and she smiled as she blushed. “I wondered if you might be hungry.”  
“I am, to be honest,” she replied. “But I’ve been around enough people tonight to last me a lifetime. How about a takeaway?”  
“Sounds good to me,” he agreed. “Chinese?”  
“Definitely,” she said. She climbed into the car and he closed the door for her, crossing round to the driver’s side and easing his large frame into the seat.  
She relaxed as he drove, watching the city lights pass by as they sped along the streets. After a relatively short wait at the takeaway, they left with their food and headed back to her apartment.  
Sitting cross-legged beside him on the couch, Amay roared with laughter at the movie on tv, and he found himself experiencing a rich, warm feeling as she laughed.  
The thought both disturbed him and pleased him.  
He found her wildly attractive, couldn’t keep his mind off her, but it wasn’t just fuelled by sheer lust alone. There was something deeper going on, and he was well aware of it. Things he hadn’t felt in years, emotions and thoughts he’d forgotten existed reared to life when he was around her, and it scared him. But it also made him feel like he was on top of the world.  
She leaned forwards and set her empty container on the low coffee table, not taking her eyes off the screen. Her long hair swung over her shoulder as she moved, and he lifted his hand involuntarily and moved it back over her shoulder. Her eyes met his and his heart missed a beat.  
Ice blue stared back at her, flames of passion flickering in the depths. Her lips parted as she read the longing inside him, the tightly-leashed control, and the burning desire to mate. Leaning towards her, his hand slid around the back of her neck and tugged her closer, his mouth brushing hers in the softest kiss she had ever experienced. She placed a hand on his chest, feeling the heat that radiated from him, and the hardness of the muscle beneath his shirt. A soft moan escaped as his tongue pushed past her lips, seeking refuge in her mouth and finding it.  
His other hand settled on her hip and slowly wandered down her thigh, a slow, gentle movement that did nothing except fan the flames of arousal that burned within her.  
He slowly moved both hands, wrapping them around her waist and lifting her onto his lap so she was astride him, her legs on either side of his and her upper body crushed against his chest. The kiss changed, as she wrapped her arms around his neck and twisted to deepen the connection between them. Her breathing altered to quick little pants as his mouth left hers and followed a path down her neck, biting and licking as he went exploring.  
Tipping her head back, she arched her back and pressed herself closer to him, grinding her hips against the solid erection she felt nudging in between her thighs. A shudder went through his body as she moved against him, and he sank his teeth into her neck, sucking hard. The air left her lungs as she moaned, silently begging for more. She began to feel dizzy with the adrenalin rush as his hands slid around to grasp her ass, pulling her even tighter to him. He rocked her hips in a manner which spoke of only one intention – he was desperate to be inside her.  
His mouth trailed back up her neck to her mouth and he kissed her with a passion that shocked him. He lifted his hands and tangled them in her hair, gasping as she returned his kiss with a hunger that matched his own.  
Tearing his mouth away from hers, he leaned his forehead against hers and panted hard. She closed her eyes and fought to regulate her own breathing, feeling the tremble that rippled through his body. Her hands caressed his shoulders and down his arms, where she held on to his wrists.  
“I don’t know what the hell you’ve done to me,” she whispered raggedly.  
“I could say the same for you,” he replied, his voice coarse. “I am lost...so lost.” He lifted his head back a little, studying her. “You are making me feel and think things that I thought were long buried in the past.”  
She tucked his hair behind his ear, trailing her fingertips down his cheek as she did so. “I have to admit, I never expected to feel like this again, not after what I went through,” she told him. “I swore I would never trust again, never allow any man to get close enough to hurt me or take advantage of me.”  
“The last thing I ever want to do is hurt or take advantage of you,” he said, sincerity and honesty clear in his eyes. “You have become far too precious to me in such a short space of time. I think that has taken me by surprise also, what I am feeling is happening so fast.”  
She nodded, leaning her head against his shoulder as he folded his arms around her in an embrace. “Someone is going to get hurt,” she whispered. “It’s unavoidable.”  
He kissed her hair. “No. You cannot think like that,” he said. “There will be a way for us to face whatever comes before us, we have to hold on to that.”  
Sad eyes gazed into his as she lifted her head. “You really believe that?”  
He nodded. “Yes. I do. I have to.” He could see conflicting emotions in the deep blue eyes that held him prisoner. Passion, lust, fear, excitement, trepidation.  
She eventually moved, shifting off him and pushing herself to her feet. “I need a coffee,” she said, and turned to the kitchen.  
He watched her move around, a heavy feeling in his heart. Nobody spoke while she busied herself, and within a few minutes she returned and handed him a mug. She settled back next to him and tucked her legs back underneath herself.  
“What do you want?” he asked softly, after a short silence.  
“In what manner?” she asked.  
“Us,” he replied, meeting her gaze.  
She sighed. “I don’t know. Nothing. Everything. Anything. I can’t...” She trailed off, confused. “I’m so attracted to you Thranduil, you know that. I can’t stop thinking about you, you turn me on faster than anything I’ve ever known and to a level I’ve never known...but you’re not going to be around for the long haul. I’m trying to protect myself.”  
“I understand,” he said, taking her hand. “I’m in exactly the same position, Amethyst. Exactly the same. I want you with such an intensity, it’s knocked me for six. But I know there’s a huge distance between us geographically, and I do not know how to bridge that.”  
“Me neither, although I wish to God that I did,” she murmered, her head once again leaning on his shoulder. She could hear the rapid thump-thump of his heart, which hadn’t quite slowed down from earlier. “Maybe it would make things so much easier.”  
His hand rubbed her arm in a reassuring gesture as he sipped his coffee. “I won’t lie to you, I want you every way possible,” he told her. “But I want your respect as well. I do not do one night stands or casual affairs. It isn’t me.”  
“Can I tell you something?” She turned her face upwards, giving herself a heart-stopping view of him as he lowered his eyes to hers.  
“You can tell me anything,” he answered.  
“I haven’t been with anyone since I left my ex,” she said, her voice quiet.  
He smiled. “For what it’s worth, I haven’t been with anyone since my wife died.”  
Her eyes widened in shock, and she sat bolt upright, turning to face him. “That’s seventeen years,” she gasped.  
“Yes.”  
“Wow.” She looked away, stunned at his revelation. “How...nevermind.”  
He smiled, noting the pink tinge on her cheeks. “There are ways, I’m sure you are aware,” he said.  
“Yes, I’m well aware,” she scoffed. “But Thranduil...that’s an awfully long time to be alone.”  
“I concentrated on raising my son, building my company, and getting from one day to the next,” he said. “I didn’t realise how quickly the years were going by until I met you.”  
“Do you ever get lonely?” she asked.  
“Do you?”  
“Sometimes,” she admitted. “But then I think back to my past and I tell myself I made the right choice. I can’t ever fall into a situation like that again.”  
“I’m sorry you had to go through it to begin with,” he murmered.  
“Life gives us challenges to see what we do with them,” she said. “And when you’re down on your knees, thinking you can’t take any more, life kicks you right up the arse and screams that you can.”  
“I can relate to that,” he agreed. He looked at her. “I fly back on Friday.”  
She nodded, although her heart screamed in denial. “We still have five and a bit days until then,” she said. “We should enjoy them.”  
“And we will,” he said, pulling her back against his chest.  
Silence descended over them as they watched the tv, but neither of them were concentrating on the movie anymore. Both were lost in their own thoughts and feelings, fighting with their own demons.


	4. Long Distance

CHAPTER FOUR

Five days flew past.  
Thranduil and Amay were inseparable, spending all day every day with each other, and often falling asleep in each other’s arms either in her apartment or at his hotel.  
Friday arrived with an air of doom, and both of them were quiet as he packed to leave. The drive to the airport was equally silent, both of them scared to confront their emotions and face what lay ahead.  
Thranduil boarded his flight after a long time in Amay’s arms, kissing her, hugging her, crying with her. The thought was at the back of her mind to throw everything away and return with him, but she had invested too much of herself making her own life to risk something neither of them knew for certain would turn into anything bankable.  
She sobbed her heart out all the way back to her apartment, stopping at the roadside several times as she couldn’t concentrate. Her heart was well and truly broken, and she missed him with every fibre of her being.  
Thirty thousand feet above her, Thranduil sat in silence, gazing out of the plane window but seeing nothing. Hot, silent tears streamed down his face as he thought about what he was leaving behind. He was returning to his son, his company, and his life, but he felt as though he was leaving his heart behind.  
*****  
Eight days and nights passed.  
Amay had taken the night off work when Thranduil had left, but returned as a completely different person. She was quiet, spoke seldom, and didn’t interact with hardly anybody.  
Her colleagues noticed, and Sam did too. He tried to talk to her, but she shut him out and refused to discuss it. She ached for someone she would never have, unless she gave up everything and returned to where she’d fled from in a desperate effort to find herself years before.  
Thranduil talked and sent texts often on a daily basis, and they spoke for hours on video chat. But it wasn’t the same. She missed his unique smell, his touch, his warmth, his humour.  
She missed everything about him, and sometimes felt as though she was fading.  
He heard the difference in her voice as they talked on the phone.  
“You sound worn out, my darling,” he told her.  
She scoffed, resting both feet on the coffee table. “I’m working too much,” she told him. “A good night’s sleep and I’ll be alright.”  
“I wish that could solve every problem,” he said with a soft laugh.  
Her insides melted at the sound. “Well, they always say that no matter what’s wrong in the world, a cup of tea will sort it,” she said. “Personally, give me a coffee any day.”  
“Strong, sweet, and black,” he said.  
“It’s the only way to have it,” she replied with a smile. “How was your day at work?”  
“Boring,” he told her. “Meetings, going from here to there, more meetings, more going from here to there...it’s been a long day.”  
“You’ll be ready for bed soon,” she said softly. An image of him asleep in bed popped into her mind. “I want to tell you something.”  
“Tell me anything,” he prompted her.  
“I wish I had slept with you,” she whispered. Hot tears burned her eyes. “I know it would’ve made things more difficult, but I wish I’d done it anyway.” Her tears rolled down her cheeks.  
He blinked hard, struggling to keep his own emotions under control. “Never say never,” he said eventually. “Amethyst...are you crying?”  
“No,” she replied, too quickly.  
“It must just be the connection,” he murmered.  
“At least now you’re away I don’t feel like I’m in heat twenty four hours a day,” she said with a laugh. “Only twenty three hours now.”  
He chuckled softly. “I should have bought you a vibrator.”  
“Ha! No thankyou. Those monstrosities are too impersonal,” she said.  
“Well, you can always use your fingers,” he told her. “They are there to be used in whichever way you see fit.”  
“I don’t have any other option,” she laughed.  
A knock sounded at her door.  
“Bollocks,” she said. “Someone’s at the door.”  
“Call me back when you’re free,” he said, and shut his phone off.  
She sighed as she tossed the phone onto the couch, swinging her feet from the table and standing. She crossed over the lounge to the door and opened it.  
She gasped, stepping backwards into the apartment, covering her mouth with both hands.  
“There is always another option,” Thranduil said with a smirk as he stepped inside, dropping a holdall to the floor. “You could always use my fingers.”  
Her heart kicked back into rhythm and she screamed, leaping forward and jumping into his arms. He started to laugh and lifted her clean off the floor, her legs automatically winding around his waist.  
She laughed and cried at the same time, pressing urgent, hungry kisses on his neck, his face, and his mouth. Her hands twisted in his long hair as she held him tightly to her, shocked that he stood in her apartment and in her arms.  
“I missed you, my darling,” he whispered. “I missed you so much, I had to come back.”  
Her grip on him tightened as she fought between breathing, crying, kissing him, and laughing. Her whole body trembled with emotion and she couldn’t stop touching him with her hands and her mouth.  
“I can’t believe you’re here,” she said in between kisses. “Oh my God, I missed you so much...”  
He smiled into the kiss, reaching behind himself and closing the door. His arms went back around her to support her as he strode through to the lounge, intent on lowering them both onto the couch.  
“No,” she said, pulling back from him. “Through there.”  
He turned and looked where she pointed, towards her partially open bedroom door.  
“Are you sure about this?” he questioned, turning his amazing eyes back to hers.  
“Yes,” she whispered. “I can’t wait any longer. I need to be with you, I don’t care anymore about the future. If right now is all you can give me, then I’ll take it. I need you so much.”  
Seconds ticked past as his eyes searched hers, seeing so much passion and emotion that his heart felt like it was going to burst. He blinked slowly, and she wondered what was going through his mind.  
Moving suddenly, he crossed the carpet and took her into the bedroom, the two of them tumbling down onto the bed. A laugh bubbled up and out of her as she clung to him, kissing him with everything she had as she wrestled his jacket from his shoulders.  
“Too much clothing,” she panted. “Take these off. I need to touch you.”  
He complied with a grin, helping her pull his shirt up over his head as it was quicker than fiddling around with buttons. Gripping the sides of her baggy t-shirt, he hauled it up and tossed it over his shoulder. Dropping his gaze, he shook his head.  
“Fucking hell,” he muttered. Her breasts swelled against the pale blue bra she wore, her nipples erect through the lace that attempted to cover them. “I think I’m going to die.”  
She smiled, running her hands through his long hair. “You won’t die,” she whispered.  
“No, I will not,” he agreed. “Because there are so many things I want to do to you.” His fingertip traced the edge of the lace as he spoke, eyes hungry with need lifting to meet hers. He lowered them again, dropping his head and using his tongue to retrace the path his finger had taken.  
Her hips ground against his as he leisurely licked across the top of the garment, impatience grating on her already fraught nerves. “Take it off,” she pleaded breathlessly.  
He slid both hands beneath her back and swiftly undid the catch, pulling it away from her and throwing it away somewhere. Cupping her breasts, he pushed them together and nuzzled in between them, dropping gentle kisses to each mound of flesh he held.  
She bit her lower lip and pushed herself closer to him, desperate for him to go further.  
He knew what she wanted, what her body was crying out for. A solitary sweep of his tongue across one hardened nipple drew a squeal from her, and he knew he was correct in his assumptions. Her fingers tightened their hold on his hair, pulling hard. Licking her again, murmers of pleasure met his ears and made him smile. He turned to her other nipple, licking across it several times in unhurried motions, until she was writhing beneath him. Opening his mouth, he closed it over her and sucked rhythmically, making her groan long and hard. His eyes closed as he tormented her, enjoying the feel of her half-naked body squirming under him, completely at his mercy where he could do whatever he wanted with her.  
His boots hit the floor with a double thud as he kicked them off, wriggling further down her, where he slowly peeled her leggings down her hips to reveal pale blue knickers. Her thighs had parted to give him room, and the damp patch in between was dark and clearly visible.  
“I’m going to make you come over and over and over,” he whispered, lifting his gaze to hers. “I have waited so long for this, dreamt of this for too long, wondered what you would feel like...what you would taste like...what it would feel like to have you screaming as you came for me...” His fingers lightly traced the damp fabric, making her buck her hips towards him. He smiled, tugging her clothing the rest of the way down.  
She watched him, waiting to see what he would do next. He leaned his head on his left hand, using his right to gently caress her. Her eyes closed and a gasp left her as his fingers swept along her folds, pushing against her opening.  
“So wet, already,” he murmered. “And just for me, my angel. Just for me.” His finger slid inside her, and her hips lifted in silent acceptance. Her insides were hot and welcoming, and he slid his finger in and out with ease. Her head rolled to one side as she murmered softly, her eyes closed and her fists gripping the quilt beneath her.  
One finger became two, and she cried out as she clenched around him. She spread her thighs wider, pushing down hard on his hand. He slowly thrusted his fingers, twisting them to heighten the sensation. His erection felt hard enough to chop through solid concrete as it twitched restlessly against his abdomen, but he ignored it. Lowering his head, he flicked his tongue over her swollen clitoris, and she let loose a guttural cry.  
“I think you need to come, sweetheart,” he murmered. “You have waited too long, you are almost ready to burst. I can feel it.” He licked her again, taking his time as he swirled his tongue around her clit and sweeping back and forth. Her panting became faster, her cries louder, her movements more impatient. He felt her thighs tremble against his broad shoulders, and increased the pressure of his tongue, his fingers continuing their steady thrusting. Her juices flowed freely onto his hand as he pleasured her.  
“Come for me baby, let me taste all of you,” he whispered against her. His tongue swept harder on her, and her entire body began to shake.  
“Jesus Christ,” she cried. “I’m coming Thranduil...ohmygod I’m coming!” Her body wrenched up off the bed as she exploded, her orgasm tearing her senses apart and destroying her soul. Her screams echoed around the room, her hands pulling frantically in his hair.  
He swiftly undid his pants and kicked them off, only withdrawing his hand to line his erection against her.  
“Keep coming for me,” he whispered, crushing her mouth with his as he pushed inside her. She clenched and released in rapid succession around him as he inched forward, slowly immersing himself in her molten depths. “Fuck...you feel so fucking good, baby...yes...keep coming...keep coming...”  
Her legs wound around his waist to drag him even deeper as her insides stretched to take him, and she let out a long, low cry as he sank all the way in. He was so big, she could have sworn by having touched him that she’d never be able to take all of him, but he managed it and was buried deep enough for his pubic bone to crush against hers.  
His mouth ravaged hers as he began to move within her, deep, deliberate thrusts that kept her orgasm going. He hit sensitive spots that had lain dormant forever, taking her by surprise. Nobody had ever made her feel like this, sex had never felt this good.  
“I wanted to take this slow and make it special for you, my angel,” he gasped. “I don’t know if I can...this feels so good...” His head dropped to her shoulder as he trailed off, panting for breath.  
“I don’t want slow,” she said. “I want you to fuck me.”  
His thrusts gained speed at her words, waves of lust washing through his body as she moved in perfect rhythm, matching him stroke for stroke. He turned his head and kissed her neck, sucking on the soft flesh as he pumped into her. She moaned and cried out, feeling a second orgasm hot on the heels of the last one. He grinned against her as she managed to pant out that she was going to come again, and lifted one of her knees higher, altering the angle of his thrusts.  
“Oh fuck!” she cried. “More, more! Don’t stop baby, please!”  
His mouth covered hers as he rocked against her, determined to make her come again before he reached his climax, fighting to ensure that he kept his at bay until she did.  
Her cries echoed in time with his pounding thrusts, and rose in pitch as she touched the edge of rapture. Her body went into almost violent shudders as she tipped over the edge with a scream loud enough to wake the entire building, her nails dragging painfully down the muscles of his back. The tight squeezing of her body around him pushed him faster to his peak, his senses went into meltdown and the air around him seemed to physically melt as he burst within her with a deep roar.  
She kissed him hungrily, her hands everywhere, her legs locked like a vice around his waist. Sweat trickled down his forehead, his arms, and his back, his hips gradually slowing as he spurted his last and sank his weight onto her.  
They panted hard to breathe, both feeling dizzy and disorientated at the heights they had reached in each other’s arms.  
Amay began to shiver a little as the air cooled her sweating form, and Thranduil rolled them both onto their sides so he could drag the quilt up over them.  
She wrapped her arms around his neck, her mouth pressing soft butterfly kisses against his. He gently rubbed his hands up and down the curve of her back, bringing heat back to her and holding her close to him.  
“Was it worth the wait?” he whispered, as she pulled back for air.  
A smile formed on her mouth. “Definitely,” she said. “I have no words for what just happened...it was amazing. Out of this world.”  
“I aim to please,” he murmered, chasing her mouth for a kiss. A deep murmer rumbled up from his chest as he moved his lips against hers. “Somehow I do not think that will be enough to quench my desire...I feel we will need to do this again.”  
“Right now?” she gasped into his mouth.  
He pulled back a little with a wide grin. “Not straight away,” he assured her. “I can promise that you will be a little tender in the morning, and I do not want you in any pain.”  
“How long are you here for?” she asked hesitantly.  
“Another two weeks,” he replied. “And if you will have me, I intend to be at your side as much as possible through those two weeks.” He lifted her hair over her shoulder as he spoke, and looked at her questioningly.  
“Of course I will have you,” she whispered. “In every meaning of the phrase. Where are you staying?”  
“I haven’t booked in anywhere yet,” he replied. “I came straight here from the airport. I haven’t seen Sam or anything yet.”  
Deep blue eyes gazed into ice blue ones. “Where do you want to stay?” she asked softly.  
He smiled, his cheeks turning pink. “You know the answer to that.”  
“Don’t go to a hotel. Stay here with me,” she said. “Two weeks sounds like a long time, but I guarantee it’ll fly past. We’ll be able to spend more time with each other if you stay here.”  
“I didn’t want to ask,” he told her. “I thought it would be too forward.”  
She laughed, caressing his face. “You’ve just taken me to heaven and back, been further inside me than anybody, and given me two orgasms back-to-back. I think being forward isn’t something we should be worrying about, or even thinking about.”  
“I might use my charm on Sam and see if you can get some time off,” he said as he ran his fingers through her hair.  
“I’ve just had two weeks off, when I flew back over,” she pointed out. “I don’t think he’d give me any more vacation time just now.”  
He shrugged his magnificent shoulders nonchalantly. “If you do not ask, you do not get,” he reasoned. “Leave it to me. I can work miracles.” A cheeky grin appeared, and she laughed.  
“I know you can work miracles,” she agreed. “What we just did is proof of that. Seriously though babe...I’ve never had two orgasms so close like that.”  
He smiled. “There are many more to come, my darling,” he told her. “You have no idea how turned on I was when you came the first time; it was so fast and hard.”  
“It’s been a while,” she said, leaning her head against the pillow. “Oh...you haven’t eaten!” she exclaimed, shooting upright into a sitting position. “Jesus Christ...”  
She scrambled out from under the quilt and threw on her dressing gown, tying the sash as she hurried out of the room.  
Thranduil watched her, a smile on his face.  
She had been worth the wait.  
*****  
He woke up before her the following morning. She was curled up in foetal position, her back pressed against his chest and stomach with his hand on her thigh. Content to remain where he was, he gazed at her as she slept.  
She was something else.  
Her long black hair spilled out across the pillow, feathering over the far edge of it and over her arm that lay stretched out on the sheet. Her blue eyes were closed, her full lips slightly parted.  
Eight days without her had been hell. He’d been shocked at how attached to her he’d grown in the time he’d been with her, and he’d felt so alone when he returned home. The days had stretched out before him with no excitement, no prospect. The nights were even longer. Even though they hadn’t had sex, they’d had long periods of time just holding each other and kissing, touching, enjoying the closeness. The dark hours had brought it home to him just how much she’d become a part of him. They had often fallen asleep together, just holding one another as the bond between them deepened with each passing day.  
She stirred in his arms and slowly woke up, frowning as she rolled onto her back. “Good morning,” she murmered, a sleepy smile curving her mouth.  
“Good morning, precious,” he whispered, lowering his mouth to hers. “Mmm...a perfect start to the day.” He smiled.  
She stretched, turning to face him and snuggling against his warm chest. “I could stay here all day,” she mumbled, closing her eyes again.  
“And waste our time together?” he said. “Or do you plan to be creative while you lie in bed?”  
She raised her head and looked at him. “I think you were right when you said last night wouldn’t be enough,” she said. “I want so much to jump on you and go crazy, but you were also right in the fact that I’m a bit sore now.”  
“It’ll pass,” he promised. “Soak in the bath, the hot water will ease the discomfort.”  
“After I have two or three coffees,” she said and snuggled back against him. “You smell so good.”  
He chuckled, the vibrations transferring through his body into hers. “After a night like we had, all that sweating, I doubt it very much,” he said.  
She sniffed hard, making him laugh harder. “Nope. I’m right. You smell amazing.” She pushed him over onto his back, leaning over him and placing kisses all over his chest. “You know something? I thought it would be weird waking up next to someone after all these years...but it isn’t. It feels right.”  
He lifted one hand and ran his fingers through her hair. “It does, doesn’t it? Maybe some things are just meant to be, and if we follow the right path, make the right choices, everything falls into place.”  
“Oh lord, it’s too early to be so philosophical,” she laughed, rolling back again. “I need coffee before I can come out with anything like that.”  
He leaned over her and kissed her, a deep kiss loaded with passion and promise. “Then stay there, my angel. I will make you a coffee and prepare a bath for you.”  
She watched in silent amazement as he got out of bed and went through to the kitchen, quite comfortable padding around the apartment without a stitch on.  
Thinking it would be far too easy to get used to having him there, she leaned back against the pillows with a contented sigh.


	5. Betrayed

CHAPTER FIVE

Amay threw her head back and roared with laughter as Ray skidded across the floor, throwing his arms around like he was trying to fly. The music pounded at a deafening level across the club, with most people managing some seriously impressive dance moves.  
Ray however, looked more like an octopus on acid.  
“Holy fuck Ray-Ban, give it a rest!” she yelled over the music. “You look like you’ve been possessed or something!”  
He grunted as he slid to a stop beside her, still bouncing in time to the beat. “I’m one of the best dancers here, I’ll have you know,” he informed her. “This lot couldn’t hold a candle to me.”  
“No, they’d probably set fire to you with the thing, and put you out of your misery,” she shot back. “You need medication, dammit.”  
“Jealousy!” he said in a sing-song voice. “Come on woman, dance with me!”  
He grabbed her and hauled her onto the floor amongst the clubbers. She couldn’t resist as it was an intoxicating 80s remix blasting throughout the building, and she loved 80s music. Throwing her arms in the air, she moved with the beat as Ray continued to leap all over the place like a demented donkey. The atmosphere around them was electric, adding to the euphoria that was already flowing through her veins.  
“ _So if you want my heart, you gotta take it like a man. Before you fight for us, you gotta show me that you can.” _,” she sang along with Cher, spotting Thranduil descending the steps.__  
He smirked in the semi-darkness, reading between the lines of the lyrics she was singing. He pushed his way through the dancers, towering a good head over most of them, making his way towards her.  
She turned away from Ray who was bopping away with one of the female bouncers, and held her arms out. Thranduil stepped into her embrace, sliding his arms around her and moving with her.  
“You look so at home,” he said into her ear as he softly kissed her neck.  
She smiled. “I am. I love this place,” she replied. The track mixed seamlessly into Yazz’s the Only Way Is Up, with the beat added to the remix blending both songs perfectly. Her arms crossed over his shoulders as they moved, bodies pressed up against each other. He stared into her eyes, the flickering strobe lights flashing in the ice blue that held hers.  
“I don’t want this to end,” she said suddenly.  
Both of them went still.  
“Neither do I,” he said. “And I will do whatever it takes to make sure it doesn’t.” He tightened his arms around her back and brushed his open mouth over hers as a deep shudder rippled up her back. His tongue slid inside, probing and searching, the kiss changing as she responded. Her adrenalin rose as she became aware of his almost instant arousal pressing hard against her, concrete proof that he wanted her.  
Slowly, she pulled back from the kiss, her jaw clenching. “I need to concentrate on what we have, here and now,” she said, her eyes bright with unshed tears.  
He swallowed away the lump in his throat, wiping his thumb tenderly below her eye as one escaped. “We will take things as they come, face them as they happen,” he said. Inside, his heart ached.  
He wanted forever with her, and it hit him like a bolt of lightning right there on the dance floor as he realised he had fallen in love with her.  
*****  
“Do you think people are talking?”  
“Hmm? What about?” he asked, dropping his gaze to her.  
She lay on her back across the couch, her head resting on his thighs as she gazed up at him. “Us.”  
“Why would they?” he asked with a slight frown of his heavy dark eyebrows.  
She shrugged, pursing her mouth. “I’m sleeping with my boss’s nephew,” she said. “That can’t look good to the guys I work with.”  
“Do you care what they think?”  
“Not particularly,” she said. “But I don’t want them to think I’m up to something, or for them to talk about you.”  
He pfft’d. “I do not care what they think or say about me,” he said. “However, I do not want you to get hurt. If you hear anything, tell me.”  
“I don’t think they would be stupid enough to say anything where I could hear it,” she told him. “They’re my friends, but even friends talk about each other. I just think they’d have more sense than to let it get back to me.”  
“You have nothing to feel bad about, my angel,” he said. His fingers trailed through the ends of her hair, which he had freed from her ponytail as soon as they’d left Indigo’s, saying he preferred her hair loose. “We have done nothing wrong, nothing to be ashamed of.”  
“No, I know,” she said. “I know how people think, though. I know what I would think if I was on the outside looking in.”  
He smiled, lifting his eyes back to the television. “You worry too much.”  
“Maybe. I think I’m going to go for a shower,” she said, groaning as she lifted herself up. “Are you dirty enough for a shower?”  
“Filthy,” he answered immediately as he switched off the tv. “Absolutely disgusting.”  
She laughed as he leapt up from the couch, holding his hand out to help her up as she scrambled to find her feet.  
They showered together, taking turns to wash each other in between hot kisses, tender caresses, and intimate touches. The steam surrounding them added to the intimacy, making them feel like they were locked into their own private world, where only the two of them existed.  
He took her slowly under the spray, moving with care and control in case she was still sore from his arrival. She urged him deeper into passion, determined to brand him as hers in a way that he would never forget her. He made sure she climaxed first, before taking his own pleasure, which once again made her ask herself how did she ever get lucky enough to meet him. Any other man she’d been with had been out for his own needs, whereas Thranduil was a sensitive lover, dedicated to seeing to her needs before his own.  
Everything about him lured her deeper and deeper into unknown waters, the future like a blank canvas with nothing written on it.  
It scared her.  
It terrified her beyond belief. She knew she was head over heels in love with him, but he hadn’t voiced his feelings, so she hadn’t either. They were together constantly, always touching and kissing each other, never away from the other’s side, but she didn’t have the confidence to voice what she felt. What they had was deep and meaningful, but she wasn’t sure if he loved her.  
*****  
Thranduil slid onto a stool on the other side of the bar, pushing a coffee towards her.  
She lifted her head from her paperwork, giving him a smile. “Hi,” she greeted him, leaning over the wood to kiss him.  
“I missed you,” he said.  
She laughed. “You were only gone for half an hour,” she replied. “But yeah, I missed you too.”  
“What are you doing?” he asked.  
“Checking the delivery invoice from the liquor supplier,” she replied. “More often than not, it’s usually wrong, and never in our favour.”  
“You put a lot of hours in here,” he observed, taking a drink from her mug.  
“I don’t mind,” she said. “This place needs a lot more to keep it running than people think.”  
“I think you should take a day or two off,” he suggested. “Just me and you, alone, away from here. Doing things couples do. Go to the movies, go to a restaurant, walk along the beach, make love...”  
Her eyes lifted back to his as he trailed off, his seductive tone wrapping itself around her like a soft, fluffy blanket. “Do you know how appealing that sounds to a workaholic like me?” she said with a smile.  
Ice blue eyes watched her. “Do it,” he whispered.  
She sighed. “There’s so much for me to do around here,” she said, dropping the invoices to the bar top.  
“Somebody else can do it,” he said. “You are the assistant manager – delegate.”  
“I’m sorely tempted,” she admitted, taking her mug from him. “Get your own if you’re thirsty.”  
He grinned. “I prefer to share,” he said.  
The gleam in his eyes sent an electrical current between her legs, and she shifted uncomfortably. “I might talk to Sam,” she said.  
He smirked. “Someone may have already beaten you to it,” he mused.  
“Oh babe...you didn’t,” she said in dismay. “He’s going to think I’m taking a loan of him. This is what I was talking about the other night, remember? I don’t want people to think I’m taking advantage because of our relationship.”  
“You’re not,” he said. “I am. I want to spend time with you. He’s my uncle, he’s not going to say no to me.” A wicked grin appeared.  
“Oh you are evil through and through,” she laughed. “A very dangerous man. A very handsome, devastatingly gorgeous man, but still dangerous.”  
His shoulders shook with laughter. “Keep talking like that, my darling, and I will give in to your every desire.”  
Her eyes turned serious for a second, before she picked the invoices back up.  
“What is it?” he asked, frowning as he noticed the look.  
“Nothing,” she said. “Take me to the zoo.”  
His eyebrows shot up at a ridiculous speed. “The zoo? Why?”  
“Because I want to learn how to basket-weave,” she retorted, folding her arms. “Why d’you think?”  
“I understand the animals, but you want to go today?”  
“Whenever I have a day off,” she replied with a shrug.  
“Amay! Give me a few minutes?” Sam called from the top of the stairs.  
“Yeah, on my way,” she called back. She turned back to Thranduil. “I want to go to the zoo.”  
“Then you shall, my dear,” he told her, pulling her over the bar for a kiss. “Go and see what my grouchy uncle wants.”  
She grinned to herself as she bounded up the stairs.  
“What’s up, Sam?” she asked as she entered his office. She crossed over to his desk and slid the paperwork to him. “This is all correct, for once.”  
“Good,” he snorted. “That makes a change. I had a chat with my nephew earlier.”  
She sat, crossing one knee over the other.  
“He seems to think you need time off,” he said.  
“I never actually said that,” she said, blushing.  
He laughed. “I know my nephew, and I know how he thinks,” he said. “He wants to sweep you off your feet, Amay. My advice is, let him. You guys are good for each other, let him spoil you.”  
She looked at the floor for a second or two. “And what happens when he goes back to the UK?” she asked. “What happens then? Who picks the pieces up and puts me back together?”  
He studied her. “You’re thinking too far ahead, honey,” he said softly.  
She pursed her mouth, battling to keep her emotions under control. “I can’t talk to you about this,” she said, a slight catch to her voice.  
“Yes you can. Amay, listen to me. I’ve known you for years, and I’ve known Thranduil since he was a baby. I know a good match when I see it,” he told her, leaning his elbows on the desk. “He’s a good man. He won’t abuse you.”  
“I know,” she said. “But I’ve gone into this head first, and it’s running away with me. I don’t know what’s ahead for us, if anything.”  
“Does anybody?” he rationalised. “Sometimes you need to grab any opportunity that lands in front of you, and make the best of it. You don’t get many chances in life at happiness, believe me. Grab each chance and take everything you can out of it.”  
“I want to, Sam,” she said quietly. “I really want to. But I’m scared.”  
“And you think he isn’t?” he asked. “Take a few days off, spend time with him. Come back once he’s flown home. Talk to me then.”  
She smiled, but it held a touch of sadness. “Ok. I will,” she agreed, pushing herself out of the chair. “Call me if you need me?”  
“I will,” he promised. “But I won’t.”  
She felt slightly dazed as she left the office, slowly going back down the stairs to the main floor.  
The blond god who had taken over her entire world glanced up as she neared the bottom, a beautiful smile lighting up his face. “Everything ok?” he asked, standing up.  
She nodded, pasting a bright smile on as she stepped off the bottom step. “Yes. Sam’s told me to take time off and not come back until...until you’re on your way home.”  
“That’s amazing!” he said. “That means we have almost a full week together. Come on – I’ll take you to the zoo.” His hands slid from her upper arms to her hands, as he pulled her across the floor.  
She allowed him to lead her, wondering in awe what had happened to her life.  
*****  
Her days and nights were filled with Thranduil. They seemed to be joined at the hip, sharing everything from jokes to meals, and from ice cream to baths together. As each day passed, she felt like she would never adjust to him leaving, and the dread within her grew as his leaving date edged closer and closer.  
Five days since Sam had told her to take time off, she’d told Thranduil she would be back soon, needing to make a quick call in at the grocery store. He had been on the phone to his business partner, and had nodded that he’d heard her as he conversed.  
Swinging the car around in the parking lot outside the store, she decided on impulse to drop into Indigo’s, and see how things were. She hadn’t heard a peep from Ray over the last few days, and wondered what he had been up to. No doubt he’d found some fella and was immersed in a hot and heavy relationship. Unfortunately he grew bored easily, and never hung around for too long with the same person.  
She parked up outside the club and went in, finding only a few people scattered around catching up on work. Gary behind the bar told her Sam had left, but was due back pretty soon.  
Having picked up a huge tin of his favourite coffee, she went up to the office to leave it there for him, meaning to return to Thranduil without waiting around. Placing the container on the desk, the company logo of a prominent and expensive legal firm on a pile of documents caught her eye.  
She lifted the sheets of paper, scanning the writing.  
Her heart stopped, and the colour drained from her face.  
Sam wasn’t the owner of Indigo’s any longer.  
Thranduil was.  
*****  
Thranduil sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose as he cut the telephone conversation, weight heavy on his shoulders. He had so many problems to deal with, and Bard’s update hadn’t helped his situation.  
He jumped in fright as the apartment door crashed open so hard, it hit the wall behind it.  
Amay stood in the doorway, fury radiating off her in waves.  
“Amethyst?” he said, leaning off the worktop. “What’s wrong?”  
“Why don’t you tell me?” she replied, her voice low and angry.  
He frowned in confusion. “I don’t understand.”  
“You know exactly what’s wrong,” she ground out, slamming the door closed with a bang. “And guess what, I found out your dirty little secret.”  
“I don’t have any secrets,” he said. “What’s happened?”  
She bit her bottom lip, trying to read his eyes. “You happened,” she decided after a second or two. “You promised you’d never hurt me, and that turned out to be a fucking whopper of a lie.”  
“I would never hurt you,” he protested. “Amethyst, talk to me, tell me what’s wrong.”  
She folded her arms, rage clear in her eyes. “I don’t know if I believe a single word that came out of your mouth,” she spat. “Maybe everything you’ve ever said has been a lie.”  
“I have never lied to you,” he said, stepping closer to her. Looking down at her, he could tell she’d been crying.  
“No? So withholding the truth isn’t considered a form of lying, by omission?” she demanded.  
“I haven’t withheld anything,” he said.  
She lashed out and slapped him so hard, his head whipped to the side as the crack sounded. “Do not fucking lie to me!” she screamed. “I found it! I found out why you’re in this fucking country! It’s got nothing to do with me at all, it’s bullshit!”  
He stared at her in shock, her handprint vivid red on his cheek.  
“I’m not fucking the boss’s nephew,” she hissed. “I’ve been fucking the boss! When were you going to tell me? Why all the bullshit and the pretence?”  
He closed his eyes, choosing his answer carefully. “I didn’t think you would be interested in me if I told you,” he said.  
“You’re right, I wouldn’t have been,” she shot back. “You...oh my God...you fucking wore me down, letting me believe all that crap about coming over to see Sam, the whole loving nephew nonsense, and all the time you were taking over Indigo’s! What part of that did you think you shouldn’t tell me? I don’t get you, I really don’t!”  
“I didn’t think it concerned us!” he shouted, getting angry. “I run a business, Amethyst. That’s what I do. I do not have to run every decision I make past you!”  
“I’m your fucking employee now!” she yelled, throwing the documents at him. “I’d say that concerns me when you’re in between my fucking legs! Or maybe it’s just me who’s messed up in the head, but that just seems so bloody wrong in my book!”  
“Stop swearing,” he said.  
“Up yours,” she hissed. “This is my life, in case you haven’t noticed. I do not have to run every word I say past you.”  
His face hardened in rage. “You are being unreasonable!”  
“Me?” she shouted incredulously. “Me?? I didn’t keep something important from you! I’ve never lied to you, I’ve never held anything back from you! How can you even justify this?”  
He roared in angry frustration, running both hand through his hair. “This is business, Amethyst, do you understand? It does not affect our relationship!”  
“What relationship?” she demanded. “One built on one big-arsed lie? If that’s the way it started, it can only get fucking better, can’t it?”  
“I did not lie!” he yelled.  
“It’s the same thing!” Her voice shook with anger and pain. “You pay my goddamned wages! You’re fucking me at every opportunity and paying me every month!”  
“Oh Jesus Christ,” he growled. “Do not make it out to be sordid.”  
“You’re telling me it isn’t? You have a funny way of showing it,” she fumed. “I don’t trust a thing you say. I wish I’d never met you.”  
His mouth opened in shock. “What?” he asked in disbelief.  
“You heard,” she spat. “I wish I’d never fucking met you. You promised you’d never hurt me, and guess what, you’ve gone and done just that. Well fuck you and the horse you rode in on. I’m through with you.”  
“Amethyst,” he said, reaching for her, but she jerked away before he could touch her.  
“Don’t touch me!” she shouted. “Get the hell out of my life and leave me alone. I have to look for another job. I don’t want to see you again, ever!”  
She turned and stormed out of the apartment, slamming the door as hard as she could. Tears blinded her, sobs choked her as she ran along the hallway to the elevator, desperate to put as much distance between Thranduil and herself as possible, as fast as possible. Her heart was shattered, she felt betrayed, and she cried as though it was the end of the world.  
The man she loved more than anything had destroyed her.


	6. Devastation

CHAPTER SIX

Thranduil stood rooted to the spot, horrified at Amay’s reaction and her outburst. Her words had been loaded with venom, her voice full of hatred. Snapping himself back to reality, he strode to the door, throwing it open and shouting her name.  
He caught sight of the back end of her as she disappeared around the corner at the end of the long hallway, and heard the doorway to the stairs crashing off the wall.  
His shoulders dropped.  
She’d obviously not been able to wait for the elevator, wanting to distance herself from him as fast as she could.  
Thinking the best thing he could do was let her calm down, he slowly went back inside and closed the door quietly.  
*****  
Pulling her knees up, Amay sniffed and dragged her hands over her face. Her head was pounding, her eyes swollen and puffy, her throat sore. Her chest hurt, and every fibre of her screamed in protest.  
“Hey,” Ray said, bumping a mug of coffee against her arm. “Drink this.”  
She took the cup, not meeting his worried eyes.  
“Call him,” he advised, sitting on the edge of the table across from her. “Hear him out, listen to what he has to say.”  
She shook her head stubbornly. “No. I don’t want to give him the time of day.” Hot tears burned her cheeks as they fell.  
“Amay, listen to me. You’re crazy in love with the guy, the least you can do is give him the chance to explain,” Ray said. “Maybe he did feel it would put you off if you knew.”  
She glared at him over the cup. “Stop making excuses for him,” she said. “He had all the chances in the world to tell me, but he didn’t. You don’t keep something like that from the person you’re with.”  
Ray sighed, crossing his ankles. “I actually think he’s a bit insecure about himself,” he observed. “I know he’s tall, gorgeous, and all that, but I still think that deep down, he worries about what people think.”  
“No he doesn’t,” she replied. “He’s told me that already.” She shifted her weight slightly on the window ledge.  
“I have to say, I thought Sam would have told you at least, and eventually the rest of us, that he’d sold Indigo’s. It sucks that he’s kept that a secret.”  
She snorted. “I couldn’t care less what Sam’s keeping secret,” she said. “The onus was with his fucking nephew. He’s the one who’s been taking me to bed, not Sam.”  
“Come on, Peach,” he said. “I get that you’re hurt, and angry, I totally get that, but is it worth throwing everything away for?”  
“Yes. I can’t work there anymore, not for him. Let’s face it, the whole relationship was doomed from the start,” she said. “There’s no way we could have kept it going on opposite sides of the planet. Maybe it had to end, and it’s better ending like this. The anger will fade to nothing eventually.”  
“No it won’t,” he shot back. “You’ll cry your heart out, and you’ll never forget what you had with him. You’re talking about lying Amay, stop lying to yourself.”  
She leaned her head back against the window, closing her eyes. “I love him so much,” she whispered brokenly, more tears running down her cheeks.  
“And does he know this? Have you told him?” he asked.  
“No. I never said the words,” she answered.  
“Maybe you should have,” he told her gently. “Maybe that would’ve given him the confidence to tell you about the club.”  
Pain slashed through her heart as she brought her final image of him to the front of her mind. He’d stood before her, his ice blue eyes shocked as she screamed that she wished she’d never met him, the horror and anguish etched onto his face. “I can’t go back to my apartment until I know he’s gone,” she said. “I can’t face him. I don’t want to see him, because I’ll just break and he’ll keep lying to me, and it’ll just get worse and worse until I don’t know what the hell’s right and what’s wrong anymore.”  
Ray watched her, watched her struggle with herself, watched her fight her heartbreak. “You know you can stay here,” he reminded her softly. “Although I think you really should talk to him. Give the guy a chance to tell his side.”  
She shook her head. “No. I can’t.”  
He sighed, shaking his own head in defeat rather than the denial she displayed. “You might lose him forever, Peach, if you shut him out.”  
“Good,” she said. “Maybe that’s the best thing that could happen. I can stay here for a few days? He’s due to fly out the day after tomorrow.”  
“Of course you can,” he told her. “But please reconsider...this is the guy who’s turned your world upside down, remember.”  
“In more ways than one,” she murmered.  
*****  
Her cell phone rang and rang continually, text messages cheerfully beeped announcing their arrival, and her messenger chirped at her non-stop. She switched her phone off.  
Ray’s home phone started ringing, so he unplugged it at her request, and in turn his cell woke up and went crazy.  
“Just tell him to fuck off,” she pleaded. “I want nothing to do with him.”  
Ray sighed as he typed out a response. “I’m not telling him that,” he said as he glared over at her. “I’m telling him you don’t want to see or talk to anybody. Nothing more, nothing less.”  
She didn’t answer. She’d spent the previous night on his couch wrapped up in a pile of blankets, shivering cold and heartbroken. Ray had gone through several times to see if she was alright, as he’d heard her crying. Each time she had sent him back to his bed, but her tears hadn’t stopped. He’d made her something to eat and she left it, her appetite gone.  
“At least tomorrow he should stop,” she said. “His flight leaves at around noon, I think.”  
“Are you going to the airport?”  
She looked at him like he was mental.  
“I’m just asking,” he said, holding his hand up defensively. “Don’t get mad with me. I’m just trying to help.”  
“I know you are,” she said. “I’m sorry.”  
Silence fell as she withdrew into herself, wrapping her blankets around her and closing everything around her out.  
Half an hour later, the door of Ray’s apartment shook as someone pounded on it with determination.  
She jumped, her mouth opening in shock. “Don’t let him in!” she whispered. “I don’t want to see him, please Ray, don’t let him in!”  
“Ok, ok, calm down,” he said, rising from the window ledge he’d took root on once she’d moved from it to the couch.  
She shot through to the bathroom and locked the door, shaking like a leaf. Thranduil’s deep voice reached her ears, but she couldn’t make out what he was saying, or what Ray was replying.  
Curling up into a ball on the floor behind the door, she waited, desperately wanting to go to him but knowing she would be dragging out her anguish if she did.  
Eventually she heard the door close, and a few seconds later, Ray knocked on the bathroom door.  
“Let me in, Peach, he’s gone,” he said.  
She reached up and unlocked the door, and he pushed it open, frowning to see her on the floor huddled up.  
Lowering himself to the floor in front of her, he crossed his legs and watched her. “You should talk to him,” he said quietly. “The guy is fucking _heartbroken _. He looks like shit. He wants to see you before he flies out tomorrow.”__  
She shook her head. “No. I can’t.”  
He sighed in exasperation. “For fuck sake..! Amethyst, get a grip of yourself!”  
“Don’t call me that!” she hissed in anger. “He always called me that.”  
He folded his arms, glaring at her. “I totally get it, I do. But Jesus Christ on a bike...he’s hurting just as badly as you are. Listen to him, for heaven’s sake!”  
“Drop it,” she whispered.  
*****  
Thranduil sat on the couch in the darkness. Everything around him smelled of Amay, everything had her touch, her personality embedded into his surroundings. He’d decided to stay in her apartment as she was bound to return, but she’d kept away.  
Tears rolled down his face as he thought of her. He’d never felt as lonely in his entire life, not even when he’d lost his wife. His infant son had helped him through the grief, giving him something to focus on. The years rolled past and his son had left to study, but still the emptiness was different.  
He knew Legolas would return some day, whereas Amay probably wouldn’t. It seemed like she was going to outwait him, staying clear of her apartment until she knew for sure he had gone.  
The thought of delaying his flight played around in his mind, but his company was going through a crisis and he needed to be there. Being honest with himself, he acknowledged that Amay was more important to him than his business, but given that she hated him now, the logical choice would be to fly back and save his company.  
Exhaustion washed over him. He hadn’t slept the previous night after she’d stormed out, and it didn’t look like he would be able to get any rest before his flight. Grief and anguish was keeping him awake, haunting him and tormenting him as it tore his soul apart. Sam had been a great source of support for him, but even he didn’t know how to get Amay to lose her stubborn defence long enough to listen to reason. He did however, promise he’d have a word with her once the dust had settled and she’d calmed down to the point where she wouldn’t take his head off.  
Although he regarded her like a daughter, he knew her temper was explosive, and she wore her heart on her sleeve. She took things hard and personally, often being hurt by other people’s comments or opinions. Her bolshy exterior was the product of many years of hard work as she tried hard to shield herself from others. Even though she was not usually prone to violence, she had a tongue that could cut like steel when she was angry or hurting.  
Thranduil spent the night sitting in the darkness, before tiredly packing his holdall in the morning and leaving.  
*****  
Two weeks passed.  
Amay returned to her apartment the day after Thranduil had flown out, wary in case he’d decided to stay longer.  
He hadn’t.  
Her home felt cold and empty. Everywhere she looked, she was reminded of him. The couch where they’d kissed and cuddled watching a movie. The kitchen where he’d teased her mercilessly and had lifted her onto the worktop to fuck her. The bathroom where they’d shared steamy showers together, or had relaxed against each other as they’d soaked in the bath. The bedroom where they’d done everything to each other in every position known to man, and invented a few of their own. The wall beside the front door where he’d pinned her against it and taken her hard and fast after a long shift at Indigo’s where she’d danced seductively with him. The chair she’d sat in while he sat patiently on the floor at her feet, allowing her to pleat his amazing long blond hair.  
Sadness gripped her like an iron fist, rendering her unable to breathe or think. Turning round in circles in despair, she sank to her knees on the carpet, sobs wracking her body as she cried like she’d never stop. Pain ricocheted through her like a spear, forcing her grasp on reality further and further away.  
Sam called constantly, left messages everywhere, and she decided as she hunched over on her knees on the floor, that maybe it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world to talk to him.  
She paid him a visit the following day.  
“You look like hell,” he observed, handing her a coffee and leaning an elbow on the bar. “Have you been eating?”  
She shrugged. “Here and there.”  
He frowned. “Not enough,” he said. “I need to tell you about what happened with my nephew.”  
“I don’t want to know anything about him,” she said, lowering her eyes. “I don’t care.”  
“Yes you do,” he contradicted. “Amay, I didn’t sell Indigo’s.”  
“I saw the paperwork,” she said. “What do you mean?”  
He sighed, shaking his head as he lowered it. “I gave it to him.”  
“Why?” She leaned forwards, intrigued.  
“I’m dying, Amay.”  
His words hit her like a blow to the stomach. “What?”  
“I have final stage lung cancer,” he told her. “There’s nothing they can do. I won’t be around much longer.”  
She sat back, her eyes wide, unable to absorb what he was telling her. “Sam...there must be something...”  
He shook his head. “There isn’t. I knew the signs, and left it too late to do anything. All they can do is keep me on high-powered pain relief, try and keep me comfortable.”  
She swallowed, tears forming in her eyes. “How long?”  
“A few months, at most,” he said. “Amay, listen to me. I want to leave this earth knowing everything has been taken care of. I do not want to die knowing that two people who are very dear to me have been fucked up beyond repair because of the choice I made. Thranduil knows business, he and I have been very close since he was born, and he was the logical choice for me to sign the club over to. I don’t know why he didn’t say anything, he must have had his own reasons.”  
She wiped a tear away as he spoke.  
“But he’s a solid, dependable guy, honey. He’s crazy about you, and he’s heartbroken now that he’s lost you. And you’re not doing much better by the looks of you,” he went on. “There’s a clause in the transfer agreement that each and every one of you are safe in your employment, nobody will lose their jobs. I know he will take care of this place and will take care of everybody here. But Amay...you need to talk to him.”  
She leaned forward, holding her head in her hands. “I can’t take all this in,” she wept. “Everything’s changed, nothing feels right, you’re fucking dying...”  
He grabbed her hand. “Don’t feel sorry for me,” he said. “I don’t want pity. I’ve had a fucking amazing life, and there’s nothing I would change if I had to do it all over again. But you need to take stock of your life, fix things and get your act together. Make sure you do it while I’m still around.” He released her, leaning back and watching her.  
“Go to a different doctor,” she pleaded.  
“It wouldn’t do any good,” he said. “I’ve been coughing for months, bringing up blood, all that crap. I knew Amay, I knew. I left it too late to quit the smokes. But hey, that’s life. I have no regrets. I don’t want you to have any either.” He reached inside his jacket pocket, pulling out an envelope, which he handed to her.  
She frowned as she took it, opening the seal and taking out the contents. She studied what she held in her hand, but it didn’t make any sense to her.  
“Your flight leaves tonight,” Sam said softly. “Thranduil’s home address is there. Everything’s paid for. Go, and fix things between you.”  
She lifted her eyes and gazed at him, emotions crashing in on her from all sides. “Sam, I don’t know what the hell’s happening,” she whispered brokenly.  
“I do,” he told her. “I’m taking care of things here, and now I need for you to take care of things outside of here. Do this for me, Amay. Please.”  
Her tears cascaded down her cheeks as she looked back at the flight ticket. “You’re breaking my heart even further,” she said. “I didn’t think life could get any worse, but this just shows it can.”  
“My future is set, and so is part of yours,” he told her. “This – “ he tapped the edge of the ticket with his forefinger. “– is the final part to be fixed. So go do it.”  
“Does he know about this?” she asked, meaning the ticket.  
He shook his head. “No.”  
“Fuck,” she muttered, looking away from him at the far away wall. “The last time I saw him, I slapped him hard enough to floor a horse.”  
“He won’t hold it against you,” Sam said knowingly. “He misses you too much.”  
She looked back at him, sadness for everything that was going on around her wrapping itself around her. Finally, she nodded, sliding off her seat and wrapping her arms around him.  
“Make me proud,” he whispered, holding her tightly.  
*****  
Amay didn’t look at a single person on the flight. She sat curled up in her seat, staring out of the window into the darkness, lost in her own thoughts. The news Sam had delivered had devastated her, and she was still reeling from what had transpired between Thranduil and herself. Her feelings were scattered in every direction, and she couldn’t fathom out what was happening to the world she’d built over the years.  
Everything seemed to be falling apart around her, and in her heart she doubted she would ever be able to put things right.  
Her thoughts turned to Thranduil.  
His presence had cast a warm glow around her, and she had known without even turning round if he had been behind her. He’d lit a fire in her soul that had blazed to an inferno, not just of lust or love, but of an acceptance of things around her. She could have worked the worst shift at Indigo’s, and his arms around her afterwards had made everything alright again, had fixed the wrongs in the world. His mouth had kissed away her problems, her worries, her fears.  
She missed him so much, it was a physical agony.  
His strong, commanding aura, his sense of humour, his warmth all touched her on a level that had never been breached before. No one from her past had affected her the way he did, or made her feel the things he did.  
She wondered what would happen when she faced him, how he would handle her turning up unannounced.  
Would he turn away from her?  
She knew he had every right to, after the way she’d spoken to him then closed him out.  
Or would he forgive her?  
She was still angry and hurt that he’d kept such a big deal from her, but not knowing his reasons, she had allowed her rage to simmer down, eventually fading to a hollow pain of hurt and betrayal.  
Disembarking from the aircraft and winding her way through Gatwick, she slid into a taxi and gave the driver the address of where she wanted to go. She chewed her thumb nervously as she watched the city speed past, the feeling of nausea growing stronger in her stomach. She’d flown halfway around the world to continue an argument, and the chances were it wouldn’t end well.  
The taxi eventually pulled up outside a large house surrounded with generous gardens. Trees grew alongside bushes and flowers of all colours, lending a calm, peaceful air to the property. Lights were on in some of the rooms, even though it was daylight.  
She hesitated, before climbing out of the taxi, and it sped off, leaving her gazing up at the house.  
Swallowing the lump in her throat, she slowly approached, her heart beating like a drum in her chest. She stopped at the bottom step, unable to move any further. The heavy wooden door seemed to mock her, almost daring her to take that final few steps upwards and knock.  
She couldn’t do it.  
Closing her eyes as she felt tears start to fall, she turned and walked away.


	7. The First Step

CHAPTER SEVEN

Thranduil breathed slowly, his eyes closed as his head leaned back against the back of the chair. He cleared his mind of all conscious thought, focusing on the blank space he had created within himself.  
Inner peace didn’t come.  
He opened his eyes again, lifting one hand and slamming the laptop before him closed.  
A movement caught the edge of his peripheral vision, and he glanced towards the window.  
His heart stopped.  
_Amethyst _??.__  
She was here. She was walking away.  
Swiftly rising from his chair, he hurried through the house to the door, throwing it open.  
The sound made her stop, but she didn’t turn.  
He slowly went down the steps, the gravel crunching beneath his feet as he stepped onto the driveway. Four or five strides would take him to her.  
He stopped after three.  
Very slowly, she turned, her eyes finally meeting his.  
He swallowed, shocked at the change in her.  
She was thinner, her eyes were dull, and she had lost her spark. She looked like she hadn’t slept in days, or had a decent meal.  
He took another step closer, choosing his words carefully. She had pushed him away the last time they had been face to face, and he wasn’t going to give her reason to do it again.  
“It’s good to see you,” he said after a long silence.  
“Sam sent me,” she said.  
He nodded in quiet acceptance. “Come inside?”  
She shrugged, and lowered her gaze as she stepped forwards. He led her up into the house, neither of them saying anything. Walking behind him, she took a deep breath, being near him again tipping her off balance. His long hair swished against his back as he moved, his grey joggers hugging his muscular thighs.  
Her heart was hammering so hard, it was becoming painful.  
“Through here,” he said, lifting an arm and gesturing towards a massive kitchen as he closed the door.  
She went through, and he passed her as he crossed the tiled floor towards the worktop. His unique aroma filled her senses and she had the strong urge to break down and cry.  
“Coffee?”  
She nodded.  
“Have a seat.”  
She warily lowered herself to sit on a stool at the breakfast bar, refusing to look at him. “I don’t know why I’m here,” she said after a long silence.  
“You’re here because Sam guilt-tripped you,” he answered, pouring hot water from the kettle into two mugs. He put the kettle back down, stirring the coffee. “He told you about his condition.”  
“Yes,” she said.  
“He told you that I did not buy the club from him.”  
“Yes.”  
“And?” Ice blue eyes met hers as he placed her coffee in front of her and he stepped back.  
Her soul was coming apart just being in the same room as him. “You kept it from me, while we were seeing each other,” she said. “That’s still a massive issue for me.”  
He exhaled through his nose. “I wanted to tell you. I just didn’t know when the right time was.”  
“How about the day you met me?” she asked, a hint of sharpness to her voice. “I saw the dates of the transfer. Sam signed everything over two days before I flew back from my time off.”  
“Yes. And had I told you then, you’d have kept me at arm’s length,” he told her. “Tell me I’m wrong.”  
“You’re not wrong,” she said with a humourless laugh. “I’d have avoided you like the plague.”  
“Which is why I said nothing. I was attracted to you and wanted to spend time with you, get to know you,” he said.  
“And take me to bed,” she snapped.  
He swooped down in front of her. “You wanted it as much as I did,” he hissed. “If my memory serves me correctly, you told me that you _wanted me _to take you to bed, remember?”__  
“And you did it, knowing I was your employee,” she said angrily. “That’s underhanded.”  
His eyes were cold as he stared at her. “I didn’t hear you complaining at the time,” he said, his voice hard.  
“That’s because I stupidly took you at face value,” she shot back. “More fool me. I should’ve known better.”  
“Why? Because all men are bastards?” he taunted.  
“Pretty much,” she spat, her anger rising. She rested her forehead on the heel of her hand. “This was a mistake. I didn’t come here to fight. I don’t know why the hell I came.” Her anger faded as fast as it had erupted, and all she wanted to do was step into his arms, to turn the clock back and unsay all the horrible things she’d said to him.  
But she couldn’t.  
He folded his arms, studying her. “How is he?”  
She shrugged, slowly twisting her mug. “I don’t see any difference in him,” she replied, her tone soft. “You wouldn’t know there was anything wrong with him just by looking at him.”  
“He’s been told he has three months, maximum,” he said, after a short silence.  
“He told me he doesn’t have long,” she said, her voice catching slightly.  
“We talked for almost a year about what he was going to do with Indigo’s,” he said. “I told him to sell it, take the money and blow the lot while he could. He refused. He wanted to make sure those who worked for him were taken care of.”  
She took a deep breath. “That sounds just like him,” she said.  
“Do not turn your anger towards him,” he said softly.  
She looked up at him. “I haven’t. I wouldn’t do that.”  
One eyebrow lifted fractionally as he thought about how he’d taken the force of her fury.  
“Would you have told me, if I hadn’t found out myself?” she asked.  
“Yes,” he replied. “I would have waited until I felt the time was right. The way you found out was not the right way. It could have been handled better.”  
“So what happens to the club now?” The cup continued to twist in her hands.  
“It remains as is,” he answered. “There is no need to change anything.”  
She abandoned the cup and ran her hands through her hair. “I should go.”  
He watched her as she rose to her feet. “Running away again,” he said quietly.  
Unshed tears burned her eyes. “Don’t talk to me about avoiding things,” she said. “You’re the master of that.”  
“And I have told you why!” he shot back. “You refuse to see my point of view. I didn’t want to miss the chance to spend time with you. Can’t you see that?”  
“Yes,” she said, her voice rising. “Yes and no. I don’t fucking know...this is a mess. If I’d known, if you’d been honest with me from the start, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.”  
“No, we would not. And we would never have shared the moments together that we did!” he snapped at her. “You might wish they had never happened, but I don’t.”  
“I don’t wish they hadn’t happened!”  
“You said you did! You said you wished you had never met me,” he said. “Unlike you, I do not go through life making choices I regret.”  
“That’s low,” she hissed. “That’s pretty damned low.”  
“Now you know how I felt when you said that to me,” he said, his eyes blazing.  
“I didn’t come here to listen to this,” she said, turning from him and heading out of the kitchen. She was in the hallway before he moved.  
She jumped in fright as he grabbed her, pushing her against the wall and smashing his fists against it on either side of her, trapping her.  
“You are _not _aware of the full facts,” he growled.__  
“You’re my boss, end of story,” she snapped.  
“No it’s not!” he shouted. “I am _not _your boss!”__  
“What the hell are you talking about?”  
“I transferred half of the nightclub over to your name!” he yelled. “You do not work _for _me! You work _with _me!”____  
She stared at him, confusion in her eyes.  
He lowered his arms with a sigh, stepping away from her and rubbing his eyes. “I put you on the deeds as part owner,” he said quietly.  
“When? Why?” she asked, more mixed up than she’d ever been.  
He looked at her. “When I realised that I was in love with you.”  
She stared at him for a few moments, unable to absorb his words. Closing her eyes, she turned away slightly, trying to make sense of everything.  
“You were dancing with Ray one night, and I came down from the office, and you danced with me. You said you didn’t ever want what we had to end,” he said. “That’s when I knew I loved you.” He paused. “The next day I contacted the attorneys who had handled the initial transfer.”  
She gasped in a huge breath of air, lifting her hands to her face as her tears burst through after being held at bay for so long. Her shoulders shook as she started to cry, every ounce of anguish and pain she’d been carrying around coming to the front and refusing to be held back.  
Thranduil went with his instinct and stepped towards her, taking her in his arms and tugging her against him. She cried harder as her arms went around him, her body shaking and trembling. He lifted a hand and held her head against his shoulder, breathing deeply as he struggled to contain his own feelings and emotions which were running far too close to the surface for his liking.  
She clenched fistfuls of his hooded top at his back, soaking up his strength, and the feeling of him in her arms. She never thought she’d hold him again, and couldn’t really believe it was happening.  
He rested his cheek against the top of her head, closing his eyes. She felt so good in his hold, and he never wanted to let her go.  
“I waited for you,” he whispered. “When you left, I stayed and waited until I couldn’t wait any longer. I had to come back here.”  
She swallowed, choking on a sob. “I wanted to go back, but I couldn’t,” she cried. “Not after what I’d said, what I’d done to you. I was scared.”  
“Scared of what?” he asked.  
“I knew I’d gone too far,” she sobbed. “I knew I’d pushed you away, and I couldn’t face you. I was all over the place because I felt you’d betrayed me, and I freaked out.”  
“Oh Amethyst,” he sighed softly. “What a mess we’ve got ourselves into.”  
Her body still trembled in his arms.  
“I can only draw one conclusion, judging by how upset you are,” he said. “I think your feelings run as deep as mine.”  
She cried harder. “I love you,” she sobbed, gasping for breath. “That’s why it hurt me so bad. I love you so much.”  
He gently eased her back from him, putting a little space between them. Framing her face with his hands, he kissed her tears. “I love you more than anything,” he whispered. “I probably have since the day I met you.” He kissed both her cheeks, finding his way to her mouth, which he kissed with such a tender, affectionate touch that reached her shattered soul.  
Her mouth opened under his, hungry for his kiss, hungry for any part of him she could get. Her arms tightened around him, and he could sense she was terrified both of letting him go, and of her feelings.  
His warm mouth caressed hers, placing soft, loving kisses as he tried to soothe her. He pulled back to look at her, using his thumbs to wipe her tears away which flowed rapidly. “Listen to me, Amethyst. I never meant to hurt you, I never meant for you to feel betrayed. I’d die before I intentionally hurt you. I wish I could go back and change what happened, but I was petrified you’d ignore me. There hasn’t been a day since that I haven’t missed you, longed for you, cried for you. I wanted to fly back over, but I was scared you wouldn’t see me.”  
She could see tears in his eyes, and her heart twisted at the knowledge that she’d done this to him. She’d hurt him worse than he’d hurt her. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered brokenly. “I am so, so sorry.”  
He kissed her again, before pulling her into a tight embrace. A deep sigh left him as he rested his chin on the top of her head, his hands rubbing her back as she continued to cry. “Don’t cry, sweetheart,” he murmered. “We can fix this, I know we can.”  
“Do you want to?” she asked, her words muffled against his clothing. “After what I said to you? The way I treated you, ignored you? Slapped you?”  
“Yes,” he answered immediately. “I love you Amethyst, I want to be with you, I want a future with you. You’ve buried yourself so deep into my heart that I can’t function when you’re not around.”  
“I’ve treated you like shit because I was angry,” she whispered. “You don’t deserve that.”  
“Maybe, maybe not,” he replied. “You were hurt because I hadn’t been a hundred percent honest with you, even though I had genuine reasons for my silence on the matter. We have both been hurt, my angel. We will get through it.”  
She lifted her head and stared up at him, reading the emotion in his ice blue eyes. “I don’t deserve a second chance with you.”  
He gave her a small smile, tucking her hair behind her ear. “Have you eaten?”  
She shook her head.  
Tutting his disapproval, he dropped his hand to hers and led her back into the kitchen. “You have not been taking care of yourself. I can see it.”  
She watched his back as he moved around, settling herself back onto the stool she had occupied previously. “I had enough to contend with getting from one miserable day to the next.”  
“That is no excuse,” he told her, working swiftly. Within a few minutes, he had peeled potatoes, chopped them into fries, dropped them in the fryer, and grated a small mountain of cheese, knowing the food was her weakness. He turned to her, wiping his hands on a tea towel. “I think you need to eat, bathe, and have a sleep. You will be jet-lagged.”  
She nodded as she traced patterns on the breakfast bar before her.  
“Then we will talk,” he said softly, and she looked up at him. “I’m sure you have many questions, many things you wish to say.”  
She took a deep breath. “Maybe my questions and comments are better left unspoken,” she said. “I feel what we have between us is too fragile to risk talking about what happened.”  
He shook his head, crossing over and leaning on the worktop across from her, his blue eyes gazing deeply into hers. “There is nothing we cannot mend,” he told her. “What we have between us is special, and stronger than you give it credit for, sweetheart. Trust me. I believe that true love can overcome anything.”  
She lowered her gaze, her eyes burning from the non-stop crying she’d done over the last few weeks.  
He reached over and gently tipped her chin up with the pad of his index finger. “I love you...always remember that,” he said softly.  
A few tears escaped, and she took a deep breath as she tried to gain control.  
He gently caressed her cheek, before turning to check on the fries.  
“I can’t imagine Sam not being around,” she said after a while. “There’s so much going on in my head right now, and now I have to work my way around the fact that he’s going to die.”  
Thranduil nodded slowly. “Yes. It’s difficult to come to terms with,” he acknowledged. “I’ve had a long time to get used to the idea, and it still tears me apart.”  
She fell silent, lost in her thoughts.  
“When is your return flight?” he asked.  
“Sunday morning,” she replied.  
He nodded. “I will be returning with you.”  
Her surprise must have shown on her face, as he smiled.  
“Now that you are within ten feet of me, I do not intend to let you out of my sight,” he said. “I do not want to go through being apart from you again.”  
His words played around in her mind. “Do you think we can do this?”  
“Of course,” he said confidently, peering into the fryer. “There’s nothing we cannot achieve.”  
She sighed, folding her arms around her as she felt the cold start to seep into her bones.  
“Have this, then soak in a hot bath,” he advised. “I assume you haven’t booked into a hotel?”  
She shook her head as he turned and looked at her over his shoulder.  
“You will stay here,” he said. “I think that goes without saying.”  
“Thankyou,” she murmered.  
He set the plate of fries before her, the cheese melting through the pile, and handed her a fork. “Eat.”  
Surprisingly, her appetite returned and she enjoyed what he had prepared for her. A fresh coffee appeared next to the plate, and he smiled as he pressed a soft kiss to her cheek as he passed her.  
“I will be back in a few minutes,” he told her. “I’m going to call Sam and let him know you’ve arrived safely.” He left the kitchen, leaving her to her thoughts as she ate.


	8. Building Bridges

CHAPTER EIGHT

Amay had finished her meal and followed Thranduil’s advice, soaking in the hot bath he prepared for her. Changed into soft cotton pyjamas, she had wrapped herself in a fleecy blanket and fallen asleep on the couch in his massive lounge, snuggled against him.  
He sat with his left arm tightly around her back, her head resting against his shoulder as she slept peacefully. His laptop lay open on the couch beside him, and he continued his work in the silence that surrounded them. The sun was setting, and a calm, tranquil air filled the house.  
He turned his head fractionally as she stirred. Closing the laptop, he brought his other arm up and wrapped it around her.  
“I think I’m dreaming,” she murmered sleepily.  
He smiled. “No, you’re not dreaming, sweetheart,” he replied. “Do you feel any better after your sleep?”  
She nodded, slowly lifting herself into a more upright position. “I feel like I’ve been through a war zone.”  
“In retrospect, you have. We both have,” he said. “But the war is over, and it is time to heal, to move on, and to build the future.” His hands dropped to hers as he spoke.  
“Did you speak to Sam?” she asked.  
“Yes. He’s pleased with what I told him,” he said. “At least he’ll have peace of mind and can stop worrying about us.”  
“I didn’t realise how much he was taking all this to heart,” she said, yawning. “He told me he’d taken care of things over there, and now it was my turn to take care of things outside work.”  
“He knows how much you mean to me,” Thranduil said. “He could see it from the beginning. Not much gets past him, as laid-back as he may be. He watches everything, absorbs everything.”  
“So I gather,” she murmered.  
“What do you feel like doing, now you’re a little fresher?” he asked her.  
She lifted her eyes to his, her heart skipping a beat or three. He held her gaze, a small smirk appearing as he seemed to read her thoughts in her silence. Leaning forwards, he touched his mouth to hers in a soft whisper of a kiss, just brushing his flesh against hers and no more.  
“I have missed this,” he whispered. “Your touch, your taste, your aroma...everything about you, my love.” His hand cupped her jaw as he spoke. “I have lain awake at night, remembering how good you felt pressed against me, your body reacting to mine...how quickly you would be soaking wet for me...your screams as you came hard for me...”  
She gasped as his words ignited a blaze of arousal in her, his lips brushing hers as he whispered erotically.  
“How tightly you would clench around me as I thrust into you,” he continued. “The feel of your legs wrapped around me, your body fitted perfectly to mine...”  
A whimper of need dragged itself from her as he sucked gently on her full lower lip, his tongue sweeping the curve of it.  
“I need that again,” he whispered. “I need to feel you against me, underneath me, surrounding me...I need to feel you come apart in my arms...”  
Her hands released their hold on the blanket wrapped around her as she slid them up his chest, feeling the solid muscle hidden beneath the soft grey hooded top. He teased her with the tip of his tongue, slowly flicking it just inside her mouth and no more, driving her wild.  
She gripped his hair, increasing the pressure of her mouth to his, greedily accepting him as he changed the tempo of the kiss. Hot urgency flowed between them, the frustration, the hurt, and the emotions from the last few weeks roaring to life. Warm hands gripped her waist and dragged her across his knees, tugging her against his body. She parted her thighs and settled over his, rocking her hips hard against his.  
“Yes...like that,” he whispered raggedly. “Harder, my love, harder.” He gripped her ass, grinding her against his arousal. “More.”  
Twisting her head and kissing him with a deep-seated hunger, she brought her hands down to his top, swiftly unzipping the front and pushing the fabric apart. A deep groan sounded as her hands met hot flesh, and she explored the treasure she had sorely missed. His chest heaved under her touch as he breathed hard, his skin on fire wherever her hands wandered. Soft whispers and murmered words of encouragement met her ears, enticing her to go further.  
Pushing the top down his arms, he wriggled out of it and she tossed it carelessly over the back of the couch, resuming her restless exploration of his body. She threw her head back and gasped as his warm hands slid under the hem of her top, sliding up the curve of her back. The garment disappeared in seconds, discarded on the floor somewhere.  
Dragging her mouth back to his, he kissed her with bruising passion as he swept his hands all over her, across her shoulders, down her back, around her waist, and finally up to caress her breasts. She whimpered and wriggled against his erection as her hard nipples came into contact with the palms of his hands, reacting instantly and growing harder into his touch.  
He twisted away from her mouth, kissing down her neck, murmering erotically as he did so. Her thighs contracted around his with a steel grip as he went lower, taking one of her nipples in his mouth and sucking hard. Her body flexed against his, her moans of passion getting louder.  
He dragged himself back from her, his eyes glazed with passion meeting hers as he fumbled with one hand to release the cord on his joggers. “I promise to make love to you the right way later,” he panted. “But right now, the sexual tension is too strong. I need you, I need you now.”  
Her mouth crashed against his again as she lifted her hips and pushed her pyjama bottoms down, twisting and turning as she wriggled out of the restrictive clothing. Pulling the front of his joggers down and releasing his length, he gripped the sides of her underpants and tore the fabric, desperate to be inside her.  
“I will get you some more,” he groaned into her mouth as she settled against him, her wet core pressing against his leaking tip. He lifted her hips and nudged against her, seeking permission to enter as he broke the kiss to gaze into her eyes. She sunk her teeth into her bottom lip, lowering herself onto him, crying out as she stretched around him, her body greedily drawing him deeper and deeper until he was completely buried in her. Strong hands gripped her as he began to move, pumping up into her with strong, powerful strokes.  
“Yesssss,” he hissed between clenched teeth, his fingers digging into her soft flesh. “Oh my God...yesssss...”  
She flipped her hair over her shoulder as she rocked against him, her arousal flying into orbit as they moved together. “I didn’t know I could be so turned on,” she told him. Resting her hands on his chest, she lowered her mouth to his, teasing him as she flicked her tongue out to lick his lips.  
He gasped, his mouth opening as he invited her further. She complied, pushing her tongue inside and immediately twisting and turning with his. One of his hands remained on her buttocks and the other lifted to tangle in her hair, crushing her to him as he ravaged her mouth.  
“Fuck,” he whispered, pulling back. “I’m going to come.”  
“I’ll race you,” she panted, moving faster on him, swaying her hips as she pushed downwards.  
The tension wound its way to her core, her muscles tensing and tightening, her thighs flexing around his waist. Taking matters into his own hands, he slid one hand down and rolled one of her nipples between his forefinger and thumb, and the other hand he slid in between them, applying pressure on her clitoris.  
“Ohmygod,” she whimpered. “Ohmygod...ohmygod...fuuuuck..!” She thrashed violently as she exploded on him, and he released her breast and flipped his arm around her to hold her tightly against him, still circling her clit with his fingers. Pumping hard and deep into her contracting core, he let out a long, low groan as he spurted into her, his own body twitching and jerking. Their orgasms rocked on and on, intensifying their pleasure and taking them to euphoric bliss.  
Panting, Amay dropped her weight against his chest, sweat rolling down her back. Both his arms tightened around her as he breathed hard, leaning his head against the back of the couch. She tucked her head into the curve of his neck, placing a gentle kiss onto his hot flesh as she gasped for breath. The room seemed to rotate around her, her senses knocked completely off-kilter.  
“You look beautiful when you come,” he told her. “Absolutely gorgeous.”  
She laughed into him. “You’re crazy,” she mumbled. “But I love you.”  
“I love you too, my darling,” he replied. He lifted the blanket she had discarded and wrapped it around her back, and she snuggled into the warmth. “My God...I feel so good.”  
She murmered in agreement. “We needed that,” she said, her voice lazy.  
He smiled. “Come on. Let’s turn in for the night. We can talk about everything in the morning after a decent sleep. You’ve only slept for about an hour.”  
Grumbling in mock protest, she shifted her hips, then stilled. Fearful eyes met his, and he read her reluctance to break the physical connection.  
“Don’t worry my angel, we won’t be apart again,” he said softly. “Believe in the strength of what we feel.”  
She hesitated, before nodding and lifting herself from him, missing the intimate contact immediately. He pushed his semi-hard member back into his joggers and pulled the blanket right round her, taking her hand. Leading her from the room, he took her up a flight of wide, curved stairs and along the upper hallway into his bedroom.  
He dropped her hand as he led her inside the beautiful room, decorated in white and shades of grey, as he went over and pulled the long curtains. Turning to the massive bed, he flipped the quilt back, and beckoned her towards him. “Come. Sleep with me.”  
She shrugged the blanket to the floor, sliding under the quilt as he dropped his joggers and stepped out of them, curling tightly against her back.  
Kissing her shoulder, his arms crossed over her abdomen. “Sleep, my love,” he whispered. “I love you.”  
“I love you too,” she whispered, closing her eyes.  
*****  
Amay awoke to the feel of hot, bare flesh pressed against her. Thranduil was already awake, but had stayed quiet allowing her to sleep and wake up when she was ready. She turned in his arms, his ice blue gaze meeting hers.  
He smiled. “Good morning, my sweetheart,” he whispered, and dropped a soft kiss to her mouth. “How do you feel this morning?”  
“Like it’s the first day of the rest of my life,” she answered.  
His smile widened, revealing the dimple in his left cheek. “It is,” he said. “The rest of your life with me, with our future and what we are going to do with it.” His hand ran through her tangled hair as he spoke. “There are many things for us to do, to discover, to learn about each other.”  
She smiled back, content for the first time in weeks.  
He shifted, lifting himself over her and gazing down into her eyes. “Right now, there is something I want to learn all over again.” His husky whisper sent shivers through her.  
He slid down her body, parting her thighs and settling between them, his fingers parting her folds. His tongue swept gently around the sensitive area, and a deep sigh of contentment left him. He lifted closer to her and explored her, licking and sucking her as he tasted the flow of almost immediate arousal. She groaned deeply and arched her back, desire firing through her bloodstream.  
“You taste even sweeter than I remember,” he murmered.  
Her hips gyrated slightly in rhythm to his movements. “You feel even better than I remember,” she replied. “Oh...yes...”  
He gripped her hips and angled her, swirling his tongue around her clit, which was throbbing for him. Dragging his tongue downwards, he pushed it inside her, withdrawing and re-entering her rapidly.  
Her cries echoed off the high ceilings, her thighs trembling on either side of him. She breathed hard as he lifted her legs over his shoulders.  
“The nectar of the Gods,” he murmered as he circled her clit again. One finger pushed into her, sliding in easily with her arousal lubricating her opening.  
She gave a strangled cry, twisting and pushing against him.  
One finger became two as he thrust in and out of her while continuing to tease her with his tongue.  
“I have dreamed of this,” he whispered. “Of you lying here, your legs open for me, taking everything I have to give you.”  
His erotic words took her higher, and she ground harder into him. His fingers thrust faster and deeper while his tongue rubbed over her clitoris with more pressure.  
“Oh fuck,” she cried. “Don’t stop...Thranduil don’t stop...”  
He knew she was bordering on her climax, the tremble of her body giving it away. His long hair tickled her inner thighs as she bucked up off the bed, a scream of passion torn from her lips. Strong hands held her hips down as he licked her through her eruption, the taste of her driving him out of his mind.  
He released his grip on her and she collapsed breathlessly against the crumpled sheets, her body still shaking. Resting his head on his hand as he leaned on his elbow, he gazed up at her, a satisfied smile on his face.  
A few minutes passed as she struggled to regulate her panting breaths. Her heart hammered violently, and the bed shifted beneath her as he moved a little.  
“Round two,” he murmered, lowering his head between her legs again.  
She squealed as he went back to licking her, her throbbing organ painfully sensitive.  
“Relax, and enjoy,” he whispered, sweeping his tongue over and over her clitoris. “You will come again.”  
“I can’t!” she cried, arching up off the sheet.  
“Yes you can,” he said. “You will come harder than before. Trust me.”  
The world turned upside down as he licked her, the strokes of his tongue rapid and determined. Before she knew it, she was hurtling towards a second climax, controlled by what he did to her.  
“Fuuuuuck!” she screamed, tears of passion pouring down her cheeks. Her body flew into tight spasms, the force of her orgasm tearing apart everything she knew.  
Thranduil shot up level with her, grasping himself and rubbing the head against her, prolonging the heavenly agony. “Do you want me?” he whispered, his eyes holding her prisoner.  
“Yes!” she cried. “Yes, I need you!”  
She howled as he thrust into her in a single, forceful move, her wrecked body accepting him and clenching to hold him in position. He hovered over her, supported on his hands braced on either side of her, and he started to pound in and out of her, watching her steadily. His hips moved in a steady rhythm, each stroke seeming deeper than the last. His nostrils flared as he fought for control, and her ability to think vanished as she held his stare.  
Neither of them spoke, the passion between them too strong for any words. His chest heaved as he breathed hard, his arms trembled on either side of her. Pushing further and further, he struggled to clear his mind, to fend off the oncoming orgasm that was creeping up on him and gaining momentum.  
“Round three,” he ground out, gyrating his hips in a corkscrew motion each time he pushed home. Breaking their visual connection finally, he lowered his head, lifting it again after a few seconds. “Look at us,” he urged her.  
She did, whimpering as she watched him fuck her. Her gasping became choppy and her fingers dug into his upper arms as she came apart for a third time, the erotic sight sending her over the edge. His weight dropped onto her and his arms crushed her to him as he lowered his head to her shoulder, his hips gaining speed. Deep groans rumbled from his chest as he turned into her neck and sank his sharp teeth into her, sucking hard enough to bruise her. He grasped her hands and entwined her fingers through his, gripping her hard. A few more thrusts and he orgasmed with a howl that sounded foreign even to his ears.  
He pushed into her as hard as he could and held his position, his hot fluid spurting deep into her.  
She freed her hands from his and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, not ever wanting to let him go. His solid body relaxed against hers as exhaustion washed over him in waves.  
She turned her face into his hair, struggling to keep quiet as hot tears flowed freely. His eyes opened as he registered the tremble in her breathing, and he lifted his head to look at her.  
“Amethyst...what’s wrong?” he asked, shocked. “Did I hurt you?”  
She shook her head, covering her face with her hands. “No,” she sobbed. “I don’t know what it is. Everything’s...everything’s catching up with me, and I missed you so much...I put us through this and I was wrong...”  
“Sshhh,” he whispered, pulling her hands down and kissing her tears away. “We’ve had a lot to take on board, my love. This relationship has been hard and heavy since we set eyes on each other, with lots of complications. We’ve been around the block with our feelings, being apart from each other, falling in love so fast, separating, coming back together...don’t put pressure or blame on yourself. It takes two to fight, and two to make up again.”  
She curled into his embrace as he held her close, taking the comfort and love that he gave her.  
He held her until she stopped crying, then lifted her chin so she would look at him. “We’ll have a shower together, have something to eat, and then we are going to talk,” he told her, his velvet voice gentle. “Ok?”  
She nodded hesitantly, closing her eyes as he kissed her tenderly.  
“Come on. As much as I want to stay inside you forever, I need to eat,” he said, a smile hovering around his mouth. He slowly pulled out of her, rolling over and sitting up. He helped her from the bed and took her through to the en-suite shower, where he lovingly soaped her down and washed her hair, in between soft kisses.  
*****  
Thranduil checked his emails while Amay popped rashers of bacon under the grill. The aroma of a fried breakfast filled the kitchen, and made his stomach growl in hunger. He lifted his mug of coffee, not taking his eyes off his screen.  
“How many eggs do you want?” she asked, taking a box from the fridge.  
“Three,” he replied, still reading.  
Her eyebrows rose. “They’re big eggs,” she said.  
“I’m a big guy,” he told her, lifting his eyes and grinning at her.  
“Hmmm, yes, you are,” she murmered, turning away with a secretive smile of her own.  
He saw it, and laughed. “Come here, my love,” he said, putting his coffee down and holding his arms out.  
“What’s wrong?” she asked as she went over and stepped into his embrace.  
“Nothing. I just want to hold you,” he said. His arms closed around her, and she absorbed his fragrance as she closed her eyes and leaned into him. “I could get used to you pottering around making me breakfast.”  
She laughed, pulling back and returning to her task. “Cooking isn’t really my strong point,” she told him. “I do it as an evil necessity, rather than something that I like.”  
He pursed his mouth, watching her. “You’re missing my point,” he said softly.  
“Which is?” She cracked the eggs into the pan, lowering the heat slightly.  
Ice blue eyes held hers as she turned around to face him. “I’m not ever going to let you go Amethyst, ever.”  
She blinked, unsure of where he was going with this.  
He stood up, circling the worktop and coming to a halt in front of her, tipping her chin up. “Never.”  
She swallowed. “I don’t ever want to be apart from you,” she told him.  
He smiled faintly, and lowered his head to kiss her. “Watch the frying pan,” he said huskily, turning and walking away again.  
She shook her head in amusement, going back to making breakfast.


	9. Strengthening The Bridges

CHAPTER NINE

Thranduil crossed one knee over the other, taking a drink of his coffee as he gazed out of the open doors of the conservatory. The colourful garden stretched before him, brightened by the sun which spilled down onto the lush grass.  
He turned his head as Amay sat down next to him, tucking her legs beneath her, offering her a smile.  
She returned it with one of her own. “You have a gorgeous home,” she said as she sipped her coffee.  
He merely kept his smile, looking away again. Peace settled over the pair as they watched the bees buzzing from colourful plants to bushes and back again.  
“Sam called me about a year ago,” he said eventually. “We spoke every week anyway, have done for years, but his voice was different. He told me he had lung cancer.”  
She took a deep breath.  
“He knew he had something sinister wrong, but hadn’t been to be checked out,” he continued. “He wanted to start making plans, knowing his illness was beyond being treatable. We talked about Indigo’s, what he wanted to do with it, those who worked there and what he wanted for them, how he wanted his funeral.”  
“Jesus,” she murmered.  
“I know. He talked me into letting him transfer ownership of the nightclub into my name, with the reason that I have experience in running my own company,” he said, glancing at her. “At first I told him I didn’t want it, I knew nothing of that kind of business, but he went on and on for months, until I agreed. I kept telling him to sell, to live the last months of his life with no cares in the world, but he wouldn’t listen.”  
“He can be quite hard-headed when the notion takes him,” she observed.  
“Yes. I even offered to buy the club from him eventually, but no. He wouldn’t hear of it. My mother advised me to grant a dying man’s wish and go along with it, so I did. I went over to see him and finalise the legalities a few days before you arrived back from your vacation,” he said. A bee buzzed into the conservatory and he gently wafted it away, and it disappeared again. “Sam had spoken of you often, Amethyst. I think he genuinely does think you walk on water.” A sad smile curved his mouth, and her heart ached.  
“I’m not that good,” she said quietly.  
“He thinks the world of you,” he said. “You’ve stood by him, stood shoulder to shoulder with him, been there through the hard times. He never forgets loyalty. His main concern was that you above everybody else might not have a job if he didn’t sort things before he goes.”  
She sighed, staring into her mug. “This is hard to take in,” she said.  
He reached for her hand, folding his fingers around hers. “I know. I’m still struggling to accept it, and I’ve known for a long time. Anyway...the next thing I knew, you walked into Indigo’s and blew me away.” He sent a smile in her direction. “Every sane thought disappeared, and you were all I could think about. I wanted to get to know you without the added pressure of knowing who I was at that point. In my experience, women either want to sleep with you because you’re the boss, or they run a mile because you’re the boss. I didn’t want to take the chance of the possibility of something between us becoming sordid, or happening for the wrong reasons.”  
She nodded slowly, understanding his point of view.  
“I wanted to tell you Amethyst, I promise I really did. But the deeper in love I fell, the more scared I became,” he said, his tone getting lower as he spoke. “You came to mean something to me so fast and so hard, what I was feeling was too intense for me to make sense of it. I was terrified that if I said anything, I would lose you just as fast as you’d come into my life.”  
Her fingers tightened around his. “I fell so fucking hard for you,” she whispered. “I’ve never felt anything that burned so hot and so fast, and being honest, it scared the hell out of me. But you were like a drug – I couldn’t back away. The more I was with you, the more I needed to be with you. And I tried as hard as I could not to give in to it, but in the end I couldn’t fight it.”  
He smiled, remembering the night he’d shown up out of the blue and they’d ended up in bed together. “That was one of the best nights of my life,” he told her. “Everything I’d ever dreamed about happened that night. Words cannot explain it. Flying back to you was the best choice I ever made.”  
“And I turned on you,” she said.  
“I can understand why,” he said. “I didn’t think your anger would go quite as explosive as it did, or last as long, but I do understand you felt betrayed. I would have realigned the planets to ensure I didn’t lose you, sweetheart, yet I managed to lose you anyway.”  
She lifted her eyes and met his, her emotions clear as she gazed at him. “I’m sorry,” she whispered.  
He shook his head. “Do not be. We have come through it. We survived.”  
“But I’m sorry for what I said, what I did. And I should _never _have slapped you, my God I’m crazy about you, I shouldn’t have done that,” she said, a catch to her voice.__  
“You were furious, and hurt,” he reasoned. “Forget it. I have.”  
She sniffed hard, fighting to hold back her tears. She’d cried oceans over this man, and was determined to show at least some strength where he was concerned. “Why did you put my name with yours on the deeds?” she asked. “I don’t understand that.”  
“I wanted you to be secure, no matter how our relationship went,” he told her. “Whether we lasted the test of time or not, you would still have some form of security, some income, something to fall back on.”  
She lifted one hand and gently touched his cheek, turning him to look at her. “I don’t want Indigo’s, Thranduil. I only want you.”  
Ice blue eyes reflected deep emotion. “You have me,” he whispered. “You have every part of me, you have done since day one and you always will have. But Indigo’s stays.”  
She frowned slightly. “Why? I’m not interested in being an owner. My heart lies with us, what’s between us.”  
He tilted his head in acknowledgement. “That may be. But Sam became very emotional when I told him what I’d done. I think he’s finally accepted what’s ahead and is at peace with it. I can’t change that, and I wouldn’t even if I could. His peace of mind means everything to me, as does yours.” He frowned slightly as he used his thumb to trace the pawprint tattoo she had on her right wrist. “What does this symbolise?”  
She smiled. “Cats,” she replied. “I always had cats when I lived here in the UK.”  
Blue eyes met hers. “Why none now?”  
She shrugged. “Part of the lease in my apartment building is no pets,” she said.  
“That’s something we’ll fix,” he murmered, fascinated by the detail of the little pads in the design.  
“What d’you mean?”  
He sighed. “I mean that we’ll find somewhere together, someplace where you can have a hundred cats if that’s what your heart desires,” he told her.  
“Together?” she asked in amazement.  
“Yes,” he said with a frown. “Does that sound so bad?”  
“No,” she said. “Thranduil...I don’t understand what you’re saying.”  
He smiled. “I knew you didn’t understand what I meant when I said I could get used to you making me breakfast,” he replied. “I meant it when I said I’m never letting you go, my angel. I plan on dividing my time between here and the US. I already started arranging things when I was over there, but I let them slide to the side after we fought.”  
She stared at him, her eyes wide. “What about your company here?” she asked.  
“Bard will run it in my absence,” he answered. “He is my partner, he knows what he’s doing. We’ve built the business from nothing.” He caught the look of astonishment in her eyes, and laughed. “Baby, I’m serious,” he said. “I never want to be away from you again.”  
“Oh my God,” she whispered. “You’re going to turn your whole life upside down.”  
“Yes,” he said.  
“For me,” she said.  
“Yes.”  
She set her cup down and flew into his arms, jumping onto his lap and crushing him against her. He laughed as he tightened his arms over her back, her excitement touching his soul.  
“We will never separate again,” he murmered into her hair. “Please don’t cry, my love. Please don’t cry. I love you.”  
Her body trembled in his arms, and she won the battle to keep tears of joy away. “I’m not going to cry,” she laughed, her watery eyes meeting his as she pulled back to look at him. “I can’t believe this.”  
“Believe it,” he told her. “I’m coming home with you, and you’re coming home with me. Each time I have to travel, I want you at my side, in my arms, in my bed. You’re never getting rid of me.”  
She leaned her forehead against his, breathing hard. “I never want to,” she whispered. “I never want to be away from you, ever again.”  
“Then you never shall be,” he whispered back, tilting his head and kissing her.  
*****  
Thranduil leaned down and whispered into Amay’s ear as they stood in line at the checkouts in the huge department store. “I didn’t replace your knickers that I tore from you,” he said softly. “Although truth be told, I’d rather tear them all so you don’t have any to wear.”  
She started to laugh, turning to him with a deep blush. “Sshhh!” she hissed. “Somebody might hear you.”  
He straightened, casting his eye over the hoards of shoppers waiting to get through the checkouts. “I don’t care,” he said arrogantly with a shrug. “As long as they don’t see it. That little beauty is for me, and only me.”  
She pulled her mouth in, in an attempt to stop laughing. “You are shocking.”  
“Mm-hmm,” he agreed, dipping his head to nuzzle under her ear. “I hate this store. Why don’t we go somewhere quiet, and get naked together?”  
Her laugh bubbled over and she pushed him away a little, catching the frown of an older shopper behind her. “Stop it,” she whispered. “People can hear you.”  
He pfffft’d in disgust, but behaved while they waited.  
The line shuffled forwards, and eventually they were on their way. He took the plastic bag from her and peered inside with a frown. “Cherry?”  
“Yes,” she replied, pushing the revolving door as she stepped into the compartment. “Cherry candles smell so amazing.”  
“Peach smells better,” he said, sliding her a sideways look. “Warm, soft, fuzzy, wet peach.”  
“Stop it!” she laughed, reaching for the bag. “You’ll get us arrested if anyone hears you.”  
He held it out of her reach. “Do we get conjugal visits in jail?”  
“No,” she retorted. “Behave, dammit.”  
“Oh well, that’s that then,” he muttered. “Where to now?”  
“I’m hungry,” she said. “My appetite has come back.”  
“Good,” he said, winding his fingers through hers. “What would you like to eat? I know what I would like.”  
Ignoring his innuendo, she considered the options. “I want a chippy,” she decided. “Fish and chips. You don’t get that in the States without a long, hard search, and it’s never like over here.”  
He grinned. “Ok then, let’s get away from this madness and find a decent chippy,” he said, leading her down side streets away from the main retail stores.  
He soon found a chip shop, and before long they were sat on the grass next to a fountain in the middle of the park, away from the hustle of the city centre.  
“Are you sure about splitting your time between two countries?” she asked, tearing the batter from a piece of fish.  
“Of course,” he replied. “Do you think I would tease about that?”  
“No, I just think it’s a massive commitment to take on board,” she said. “There’s the expense, for a start.”  
“My company does very well for itself, I’m financially secure,” he replied.  
“And there’s all the travelling,” she pointed out.  
“And a good sleep after a journey fixes everything,” he responded, chewing.  
“The different climates,” she said.  
“One country is warmer than the other, so I’ll adjust what I wear accordingly,” he replied. “Next?”  
She laughed, tilting her head back.  
He stopped eating, stunned as he gazed at her.  
“I want you to be sure that you’re doing the right thing,” she said as she looked back at him. “You’re putting a lot on yourself by making this decision.”  
“If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you were trying to dissuade me,” he said, popping a chip into his mouth.  
“No!” she cried. “Far from it.”  
He grinned. “Good. Because you couldn’t. I told you Amethyst, I’d already started the ball rolling when I was last over. This is what I want, and as long as you want it too, I’ll make it happen.”  
“I want it more than anything,” she said softly, lost in his eyes. She frowned suddenly, turning her attention back to her fish. “And stop making chewing chips look so fucking sexy,” she grumbled.  
He leaned back and roared with laughter, throwing his weight back onto the grass behind him. She grinned, setting her food down in the wrapper and sprawling out next to him on her stomach.  
“How is eating _fucking sexy _as you put it?” he asked, tears of laughter in his eyes.__  
“It just is,” she told him. “You make everything look fucking sexy. It’s just you, what you do.”  
The laughter in his eyes slowly disappeared. “I love you so much, baby...so, so much,” he whispered. “I know this is moving at warp speed, but I’ve never felt like this before, ever.”  
“Not even..?”  
He shook his head. “No. I was young, we both were young,” he replied, looking at the blue sky above them. “We loved each other in our own way, but it’s different when you’re a horny teenager, then you find out that two is going to become three.”  
“What happened to her?” she asked after a short silence.  
“A train derailed, and she was one of the passengers,” he answered. “Over a hundred people lost their lives that day. It hit the news and everything.”  
She shook her head. “I’m sorry,” she murmered.  
He pursed his mouth, taking her hand in his and lifting it onto his chest. “It wasn’t easy, but I got through it,” he said. “I didn’t want to, but I did. And now I know why.”  
She gazed at him, drowning in the blue of his eyes. “I’m still shocked that you didn’t sleep with anyone since,” she said.  
“I had offers,” he said dryly. “But I seem to be different somehow; I’ve never been into meaningless sex. I don’t know why, I just invest a lot of me, if not everything, into a relationship.”  
She smiled, “I’m surprised you didn’t have queues of women lined up outside your bedroom door,” she said. She ran her free hand through his long hair. “I mean look at you – you’re fucking gorgeous, Thranduil. You turn heads wherever you go. I’ve seen it.”  
He snorted. “I have no wish to turn anyone’s head but yours,” he said. “I’ve come through the last seventeen years focusing on my son, my company, and my life. Now I have the most amazing woman on the planet to focus on. I need nothing more.”  
Lifting her upper body onto her elbows, she leaned down and brushed her mouth over his, sighing in contentment as his lips parted and he deepened the kiss. His warm mouth moved against hers, turning her bones to liquid and sending her ability to think into outer space. Warm hands slid to her upper arms and he lifted her further across him, tightening over her back.  
They pulled apart reluctantly as a group of teenagers went past on skateboards, their boisterous noise reminding them they weren’t alone.  
Thranduil ran his hand through her hair, gazing up at her. “Have you any more shopping to do, anywhere else you need to go?” he asked.  
“No, I think I’m done,” she said. “I just want to go home and be with you.”  
Heat flared in his eyes. “Let’s go then,” he said, pushing himself into a sitting position. He stood, taking her hand and helping her up, before stooping to retrieve the fish and chips they’d discarded. “I must arrange a seat on your flight when we get back,” he said, dropping the waste into a nearby rubbish bin.  
“I hope there’s space,” she said, taking the hand he offered.  
“If not, we could always switch your flight so we travel together,” he suggested as they walked. “Would that be alright?”  
“Of course,” she said. “I don’t want to return alone. I don’t know that I could, to be honest.” She stopped, looking up at him. “I think everything that’s happened recently, particularly since yesterday...I’d fall apart if I had to fly out alone.”  
“You won’t be alone,” he assured her, dropping a light kiss on her mouth and resuming their pace.


	10. Farewell

CHAPTER TEN

 

Thranduil grabbed Amay and lifted her off her feet, whirling her around in circles. The parking lot and surrounding buildings flashed past her as she gripped on to his shoulders, laughing at his sudden burst of enthusiasm.  
“What’s got into you?” she asked, as he settled her back onto the concrete again.  
“I’m just glad to be here, with you, starting our future together,” he grinned. “I didn’t dare to think this might happen.”  
She returned his grin, gently rubbing her crossed thumbs against the soft skin at the back of his neck. “Well we’re here, Indigo’s is under new management, and that management is a strong force to be reckoned with,” she said. “It’s going to happen for us babe, it starts here.”  
His gaze had drifted down to her mouth as she spoke, and he slowly lowered his head, claiming her lips in a tender kiss with his own. Tightening his hold on her, her warm curves crushed against the solid warmth of his body as he kissed her, passion flooding rapidly through his veins.  
“Heyyy, the _luuuuuuvers _are back!” a cheerful voice rang out.__  
They broke apart and turned to see Ray hauling a bag of garbage out to the dumpster.  
“Hey Ray-Ban,” Amay said, releasing her hold on Thranduil and crossing over to her friend for a hug. “How are you?”  
“Glad to see you two finally got your heads outta your asses,” he quipped. “Good to have you back, Peach.” He reached around her and shook Thranduil’s hand. “Sorry about not letting you see her that night you came round to mine,” he apologised. “She went off her head refusing to see anybody.”  
Thranduil shrugged, stuffing his hands into his jeans pockets. “That’s alright,” he said. “We’ve talked through it, we’ve sorted everything out. No hard feelings.”  
Ray sighed in relief. “Come on guys, everybody’s dying to see you,” he said. “Sam’s calling everybody in this morning for individual chats, so fuck knows what we’ve done wrong that he wants to see everybody.”  
Amay’s eyes met Thranduil’s over his shoulder.  
“Amethyst and I know what he wants to talk about,” he said, choosing his words carefully. “Nobody is in trouble, so relax. We’ll go and see him just now, then you guys can have your meetings with him.”  
He held his hand out and she took it, allowing him to lead her inside and up the stairs to Sam’s office.  
The older man turned as they entered, his face lighting up. “Amay! Thranduil!” he said, holding his arms out in welcome.  
Amay stepped away from her lover and went into his warm embrace. “How are you?” she asked, pulling back and scrutinizing him.  
“I’m still breathing honey, so quit worrying,” he said with a laugh. “Worry when I ain’t!” He gave Thranduil a hug, and stepped back to assess the couple. “I have to say…I’m so happy you managed to sort things out between you,” he told them.  
Thranduil smiled down at Amay, who smiled in silent reply.  
Sam seated himself on the edge of his desk, studying both of them. “I don’t have long left,” he said in a low voice.  
Amay took a deep breath. “Is the pain relief still working?” she asked.  
He shook his head sadly. “The fentanyl isn’t doing what it’s supposed to anymore. I guess the next step is liquid morphine.”  
She turned and walked over to the huge mirrored window, folding her arms and gazing down onto the main floor.  
Thranduil watched her thoughtfully. “Is it able to be administered at home?” he asked Sam.  
The older man shook his head. “Not in the doses I’ll need it,” he replied. “Sure, they can prescribe oral morphine, but it won’t do as much as the direct feed.”  
“Amethyst?” Thranduil questioned softly.  
She sighed, turning to face them. “A hundred years ago in a past life, l before I came here, I was a care officer. One of my specialties was palliative care.”  
“Which is..?” he asked.  
“End of life care,” she answered. “I lost count of the amount of patients on subcutaneous morphine that I sat with through until the end.”  
“I wouldn’t ask or expect anyone to be with me,” Sam said. “I know it’s not an easy thing to do, so I’m probably better off on my own.”  
She laughed humourlessly. “Do you think after all we’ve been through, that I’m going to let you creep away without being with you?” she demanded. “Jog on, mister.”  
“I get where you are honey, but I’m not asking anyone to go through that,” he said gently.  
“I don’t care what you are or aren’t asking. I’ll be with you,” she retorted.  
“Anyhoo,” he sighed, looking at his sneakers. “It’s a while away yet, it’s not like I’m going to check into the Grim Reaper’s clinic today or anything. We’ll see what happens when I’m there. Until then, things go on as normal…that’s what I want.”  
“Then that’s what you shall have,” Thranduil said, his velvet voice reassuring Amay momentarily.  
“Why don’t you go grab a coffee or something?” his uncle suggested. “I’m meeting with all the staff today, one by one, just to put them in the picture,” Sam said. “I owe them that.”  
“Good idea, I could use a caffeine boost,” Amay agreed, taking Thranduil’s hand as he offered it.  
*****  
“You do know that the onus is not on you to stay through to the end,” Thranduil said softly, slowly turning his coffee cup on the table in front of them.  
They sat across from each other in a cosy booth towards the rear of the club.  
“I know,” Amay replied. “But I’d never turn away from him in his final hour. It’s not what I trained for, it’s something I’ve never done in all my years of palliative care. I got into so much trouble time and time again because I refused to leave the side of a dying patient and tend to the live ones.”  
He offered her a faint smile. “Why does that not surprise me?” he asked.  
She shrugged, taking a drink of her coffee. “They say you come into the world alone, but that’s bullshit,” she said. “The mother is there, and usually midwives or doctors or somebody. There’s no reason why anyone should leave the world alone…they get scared sometimes babe…really scared, and they fight to stay because they’re frightened.”  
He reached over and grasped her hand in his comfortingly. “That’s not an easy job for anyone,” he observed in his calm, quiet manner.  
“I cried over every one who died,” she admitted quietly. Her gaze was fixed on their joined hands as she spoke. “You spend so long with each patient, bonding with them, they become part of you and you become part of them.”  
“Why did you quit?” he asked with a slight frown of confusion.  
“I had to get out of the UK,” she answered. “Make a fresh start, reinvent myself. That included leaving my old self behind in the past.”  
“I think you’d have been wonderful in that line of work,” he told her.  
She smiled, almost sadly. “I loved it, even though it broke my heart,” she replied. “And I won’t leave Sam’s side when it comes to his time. I can’t do that to him.”  
He nodded in understanding. “If you feel you can do that, then you have my blessing,” he said. “I know it’ll be hard; Sam’s much more to both of us than a patient who drifts through our lives and leaves again, he’s been with us in a more personal way for years.”  
She murmered in agreement, already dreading what the future would bring.  
*****  
Two weeks later, Sam was admitted into hospital.  
A week after that, he passed away.  
Amay had stayed true to her word, sitting with him round the clock in his final days as he drifted peacefully into a drug-induced sleep, never to fully regain consciousness. The day he died, Thranduil had left the private room to stretch his legs, and within a few minutes Amay had opened the window, urgently calling him back. He’d flown up the stairs, being back at his uncle’s bedside just seconds before he took his final breath.  
He asked her later how she’d known to call him back, and she’d told him that his colour had changed, and his breathing was stopping and starting intermittently.  
The funeral was huge.  
The entire staff of Indigo’s was present, and members of the public who frequented the club regularly.  
Amay was eternally grateful for Thranduil, his strong, silent presence giving her the strength she needed to get through the day. He’d been head pallbearer, and she had been behind him, turning a blind eye on the tradition that said females couldn’t be pallbearers.  
Afterwards, everyone had crowded into the club to eat, drink, and remember their old boss in their own ways.  
Amay leaned one elbow on the bar, swirling a glass of wine in her other hand as she watched the goings-on around her.  
“Hey Peach, are you alright?” Ray asked, sliding onto the stool next to her.  
She smiled, a sad, tearful smile. “Yeah, I’ll get by,” she sighed. “It’s harder than I imagined…Sam was such a huge presence in all our lives, and you don’t see that until that presence has gone.”  
He nodded, his mind occupied with his own memories of the man who had taken him under his wing when his parents had disowned him over his lifestyle choices. “I’m going to miss him,” he said.  
“Me too,” she agreed, taking a drink and setting her glass on the bar behind her. “Listen Ray, I wanted to talk to you about something.”  
Large green eyes gazed back at her, framed by ridiculously long dark eyelashes.  
“I didn’t ask for part ownership of Indigo’s,” she told him. “Sam signed it over to Thranduil, who put my name on the deeds as co-owner.”  
“I know this,” he said. “Sam told me.”  
“Ray, I don’t ever want anything between us to change, just because of that,” she said. “I don’t ever want that to come between us, we’ve been friends for so long, and I want to keep that.”  
He grinned. “Listen Peach, we’ve gone shopping together, we’ve went out for meals together, we’ve got drunk together. You’ve taken me home and cleaned the puke from my bathroom after a wild night out, you’ve pieced me back together after disastrous relationships. You’ve always been there, been my best friend. That’s not gonna change, boss or no boss.”  
She smiled, giving him a quick embrace. “I’m glad,” she said. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”  
“I know, I’m such a great guy,” he quipped. “So is that guy of yours…holy fuck Amay, what a _hunk _!! The dude’s sex on legs, you’re going to have to watch him.”__  
She roared with laughter.  
“I am not joking,” he said. “You have no idea how much I want to roll around with him..!”  
Tears of amusement rolled down her face, and she wiped them away, breathless from laughing. “Look, you might act like a pussy most of the time, but I actually _have _a pussy, and that’s a major factor in our relationship,” she told him. “You nutter.”__  
He tossed his head dramatically. “Pointless details,” he huffed. “I can only imagine the size of his junk and what he can do with it-“  
“Enough!” she roared, howling with laughter. “Stop making eyes at my boyfriend’s package, dammit. He’s off-limits, and he’s so not your type, you big tart.”  
He smirked, taking a drink from her wine before she snatched it away from him. “Seriously Peach, he’s a catch and a half. Don’t let anyone sink their claws into him.”  
“I won’t,” she said, her mind elsewhere as she watched the subject of their discussion come out of the upstairs hallway and descend the stairs. “Hot _damn _…”__  
Ray turned to follow her line of vision, and hummed in approval as the six feet five sex-god headed down towards the main floor.  
Amay frowned as Wendy, one of the girls who worked the bar at weekend, sprinted up to meet him halfway, blocking his path. She spoke to him, and Amay could see from her partial profile that she had a come-hither smile pasted on.  
Her blood started to bubble.  
Thranduil said something and shook his head, pushing past her. She followed him, touching his arm to halt him as he reached the floor level. More conversation, more of him shaking his head. Wendy draped herself in front of him, a hand trailing through the ends of his long blond hair before he pushed past her again.  
Amay exchanged glances with Ray, shifting off her seat. She’d seen enough.  
Thranduil’s eyes widened in alarm as she stormed past him, grabbing Wendy without breaking stride and dragging her through to the staff quarters out of sight.  
He turned to Ray, who shook his head telling him to let it be.  
Through the back, Amay was seething.  
“What the fuck was that?” she demanded.  
“What was what?” Wendy asked innocently.  
“Don’t act the cunt with me,” she hissed, her Scottish roots coming to the fore in her anger. “What the fuck did you say to him?”  
The barmaid shrugged. “I was only asking how he is, after losing Sam,” she replied.  
“And where in the Guide To Grief Counselling does it say to touch someone’s hair?” Amay spat.  
“You’re making something out of nothing,” Wendy replied nonchalantly.  
“Stay the fuck away from him,” she warned. “I’ll take him through his grief, not you.”  
“I thought you were happy in your relationship.”  
“We are,” she shot back. “I belong to him, he belongs to me. Back off.”  
“That smacks of insecurity to my ears,” Wendy sighed.  
“Keep it up, and you’ll get a smack around the ears,” Amay growled. “Do not fuck with me on this, Wendy. Do not fuck with me.”  
“I wouldn’t fuck you with someone else’s,” she tossed back, and barged past her onto the main floor again.  
Amay crashed through the double doors with the intent of punching her lights out, but her gaze settled on Thranduil, who had seated himself on the stool she’d used and was in discussion with Ray. His eyes lifted to hers, and he stood and went to her.  
“Are you alright, sweetheart?” he asked, touching her cheek in concern.  
“I’m just peachy,” she replied. “I just warned her off, that’s all.”  
He smiled. “I kind of like this possessive side of you,” he murmered, leaning down and touching his mouth to hers.  
Her anger vanished the instant his soft flesh met hers, rubbing in an erotic way and making her think about nothing else apart from hot, wet sex with him.  
Dragging her lips from his, she grunted in frustration. “Is this the wrong time and place to be thinking of how much I really want to climb on top of you and fuck you hard?” she whispered, her nether regions aching from a simple kiss.  
He laughed. “Yes, but we can shelf that thought for later,” he murmered. His hand lifted to either side of her jaw. “Kiss me, woman,” he demanded softly.  
She complied, her arms lifting and crossing at his shoulders, her breath leaving her in a gasp of desire. He kissed his way down her neck, turning her insides to molten lava with his inexplicable way of turning her on. Her eyes fluttered open and she caught sight of Wendy standing on the other side of the massive room, arms folded, an aggressive look in her eyes.  
Amay smiled smugly.  
Good.  
This man was all hers.  
*****  
The weeks rolled on.  
Life at Indigo’s returned to a sense of normality, but everybody missed Sam in their own way and he held a special place in all their hearts, in one way or another.  
Amay and Thranduil worked side by side, and she was surprised to find that they made an amazing team. He allowed her freedom with her creative, imaginative side, and she gave him space with his business ideas and plans.  
“Jesus Christ on a fucking bike,” she cursed, slamming her cell phone onto the desk. “I can’t take anymore of this shit.”  
“What’s wrong, my love?” Thranduil asked, looking over at her in concern.  
“That’s number nine off with gastroenteritis,” she grumbled.  
“Gasso-what?”  
“Screaming hab-dabs,” she explained. “Puking and shitting. It’s spreading faster than the bloody plague. Everybody who has it needs to be clear for 48 hours before they can return to work.”  
He sighed, settling his phone next to hers. “I’m afraid I don’t have good news either.”  
She frowned. “What’s wrong?”  
“I listed the house for sale,” he told her. “A potential buyer has put in a reasonable offer, and I’d left instruction with my lawyer to have Bard take care of everything. Now he’s insisting that the final sale paperwork needs to be signed by me, in person. He won’t accept a fax copy, an email, nothing like that.”  
“Oh baby,” she murmered sympathetically. “What can you do?”  
He shrugged, jamming both hands in his pockets. “The closing date is this Friday. I either have to go over and sign the damned papers, or refuse the offer.”  
“You can’t refuse it,” she said, shaking her head as she chewed on the end of her pen. “And it’s Tuesday already…you might struggle to get a seat on a flight.”  
“Oh my lawyer has already got that checked out,” he said dryly. “Maybe I should just take it off the market for the time being.”  
“No honey, you can’t do that,” she said in alarm. “If you really want to sell, you have to see this through. The property market in Britain is utter shite just now, you might not get an offer for the next hundred years or something. Go and deal with it, and come back as soon as you can after it’s all signed, sealed, and delivered.”  
“I can’t,” he protested. “If I take you with me, we’ll be short-staffed to the point we’ll be trading illegally. We’d have to close for the rest of the week.”  
She shook her head. “Not an option,” she said. “Go and do what you have to do, and I’ll keep things going here.”  
“No!” he said in alarm. “We travel together. That was the deal.”  
She smiled, standing and going round the desk to wrap her arms around his waist. “Maybe it was, but sometimes we’ll have to work around that,” she told him. “I can manage here on my own, go and seal the deal with your house if you really want to sell it.”  
His arms wrapped around her. “No. I do not wish to leave you.” Genuine distress showed in his ice blue eyes.  
“Listen to me. I’m a big girl, I’ll be alright for a few days and nights,” she reasoned. “I’ve run the place before when Sam’s had time off. I know what I’m doing.”  
“I know you do, my love, but I do not want to be away from you,” he said.  
She snorted. “It’s only for a short time,” she told him. “You’ll be back before you know it.”  
He gazed into her eyes, and yet again she had the feeling he could see into her soul. “I can’t sleep without you in my arms,” he whispered.  
“You’ll be so jet-lagged, it won’t make any difference,” she said. “Go, do what you have to do, and come back to me.”  
“I don’t know,” he sighed heavily.  
“Come on. Phone and book a flight, I’ll come home with you and help you pack,” she said. “And we can shower together before you leave…you know how hopeless I am at showering myself…how I need you to wash my back…my legs…between my legs…” She trailed off as she pressed her mouth against his, and he hummed in pleasure at the image she painted in his mind.


	11. Missing Thranduil

CHAPTER ELEVEN

 

Amay rolled over in the dark, feeling lost and alone.  
She missed Thranduil, and was counting down the hours until he returned to her. She glanced at the clock on the bedside unit, frowning at the display which read 0327.  
She’d only closed Indigo’s less than two hours previously. Wide awake and fretting, sleep eluded her.  
Lifting her cellphone as a message beeped through, a huge smile lit up her face. Thranduil was in the air, heading back to her.  
She tossed the phone onto the quilt and bounced out of bed. If she stayed still she’d go crazy waiting for him, so she decided to put her time to good use, and do something constructive.  
A quick shower later, and she tugged on comfortable jeans and a lilac stretchy vest top. As she stuffed her feet into battered old Nike sneakers that had seen better days but she loved them too much to part with them, she thought she’d walk rather than drive.  
Having worked through the nights for years, she felt comfortable in the darkness and more alive, plus she enjoyed the solitude it offered. She grabbed an apple and slid her phone in her back pocket, leaving the apartment on a mission and with a bounce in her step.  
The half hour walk seemed to fly by, and before long she was pounding across the parking lot of the nightclub. She’d left a mountain of invoices and documents to check and file, so if she put her attention on them, the hours would pass until Thranduil was with her.  
She frowned as she lifted her hand to the door knob and the door moved under her touch. She’d watched as Ray had locked up before tossing the keys over the hood of her car to her, yet the door had been opened.  
Ignoring the alarm bells in her head, she pushed the door open and stepped inside cautiously.  
Something was wrong.  
She made her way in the dark along the corridor, heading in the direction of the staff restrooms, where she stopped in shock.  
Every wash basin had been ripped from the walls and shattered on the floor, with water pouring out of the fixings. The mirrors were broken, chunks missing out of the plastered walls, and the individual stalls had been destroyed. The toilets had been attacked with what she could only presume was a heavy duty hammer, as the porcelain shards spread out in all directions.  
Anger raced through her system as she turned and fled deeper into the building, crashing through the double doors onto the main floor.  
Total carnage awaited her.  
The massive, round wooden bar that took pride of place in the middle of the floor had been smashed beyond recognition, huge sections of wood twisted and broken. The seating booths towards the far side that were bolted to the floor had been torn free, the padded seats slashed repeatedly. The foam innards burst freely through the destruction. Similar to the restrooms, the walls looked like they’d been attacked with a hammer of sorts, leaving huge dents and holes. Light fittings were smashed, glass everywhere underfoot. The DJ booth had been completely wrecked, the massive lights surrounding it smashed to smithereens.  
Amay was beyond furious as she surveyed the damage, and bolted up the stairs to the offices, hoping something was salvageable. She sped round the corner at the top, hurtling along the darkened hallway. A scream left her as two dark shapes emerged from the main office, crashing into her and knocking her backwards to the floor. Her feet instinctively lifted as one of the bodies fell onto her, and she booted him off with all her strength, leaping to her feet and going into attack mode. The second intruder threw an arm around her throat and dragged her backwards, but a swift elbow to his ribs made him relax his hold enough for her to wriggle free and swing a solid punch. He staggered back, and she whipped around to face the one who’d landed on her, kicking him in the groin and booting his face as he doubled over. The second one recovered fast and stars burst around her as he booted her in the back of her knees and dropping her, punching her across the face as she hit the carpet.  
By the time they left, she was lying semi-conscious and unable to focus through the blood pouring from a head wound.  
*****  
Ray studied her as he sat so close, he was practically on her knee.  
“You need to get checked out,” he told her, a worried frown on his face.  
“No I don’t,” she said, watching the police and forensics as they talked to the assembled staff and moved around doing their thing. “This is a waste of time. I told them they were gloved up, they’re not going to find anything they can use.”  
He snorted in agreement. “They’ll only lift about a trillion sets of prints from everybody who comes in here,” he observed. “Still, let them do their job, make them feel useful.”  
She gave a soft _hmmph _as she took a drink from a bottle of coke, pain slicing through her skull. After managing to drag herself into the main office and call Ray for help, she’d made an attempt to clean herself up a little.__  
Her gaze swept across the destroyed night spot, a heavy sadness in her heart. Her lover was in the process of turning his entire life upside down, and was returning to a bomb site. Guilt ate at her as she took in things she hadn’t noticed before in the darkness. Thranduil was going to be so disappointed that she hadn’t been able to handle things in his absence, and the more she dwelled on it, the more distressed she became.  
“I need some time alone,” she decided, a distinct catch to her voice as she pushed herself to her feet. “Keep everybody away from me.”  
“Are you going to be ok, Peach?” he called after her as she ascended the stairs.  
She silenced him with a wave of her hand at her back, and disappeared.  
*****  
Ray waited patiently while the police went around every employee who had responded to the emergency message to haul ass down to Indigo’s, wondering how much longer they were planning on being there. A frown flitted across his face as his cell phone rang, and his stomach fell with dread.  
“Hi boss,” he said, connecting the call.  
“Ray, hi,” Thranduil’s smooth voice returned. “Listen, I’m sorry to disturb you, but I’m worried about Amethyst. I can’t reach her at home, and her cell must be out of range or something, it isn’t connecting.”  
Her friend took a deep breath. “She’s here at the club,” he replied. “We’re all here.”  
Thranduil opened the cab door and tossed his holdall along the back seat. “Why? Is something wrong?”  
“Uh…yeah…there is,” Ray said. “Amay came in to sort some paperwork or something just after four o’clock this morning, and the place was in the process of being broken into. She tried to stop the intruders and got into a bit of a fight with them, and came off a bit worse for wear. She’s taken it pretty hard. She’s shut herself away and won’t see anybody.”  
The line went dead.  
Twenty five minutes later, the door crashed open and Thranduil stormed in, a six feet five tower of fury and rage.  
Ray silently pointed upstairs, and he took the stairs three at a time.  
Amay was sitting on the floor of Sam’s old office, her back against the wall, her knees pulled up to her chest. She jumped in fright as the door flew open hard enough to bounce off the wall, and Thranduil strode into the room.  
She saw the anger in his eyes and instinctively slid along the floor away from him, and his stride faltered slightly.  
He dropped to his knees in front of her, gathered her in his arms and lifted her onto his lap, crushing her against him and burying his face in her hair.  
That was all it took as the tension, the stress, and the shock hit home for her, and she burst into tears as he held her. She sobbed into him, her body trembling in his arms, crying for everything that had gone wrong since he’d left.  
Large hands gently rubbed her back in a comforting gesture, until he lifted one and cradled the back of her head. “It’s ok baby, I’m here with you,” he whispered, softly kissing her cheek. “Everything’s going to be alright. Don’t cry, sweetheart.”  
She gasped for air as she held onto him with a death grip, scared to let him go, scared to be alone. Whether she liked it or not, whether she wanted to admit it or not, she needed him. She needed his reassuring presence, she needed his warmth, his comfort. She needed the strong arms around her, the tender kisses on her cheek, she even needed the smell of him.  
“I’m sorry,” she cried eventually.  
He pushed her back slightly so he could look at her, a frown on his face. “What are you sorry for?” he asked.  
“This, everything,” she sobbed. “I tried to stop them, but they’d already finished and they were too strong for me. I tried-“  
“Sshhh,” he whispered, holding a finger against her lips. “Do not think about that.”  
“I didn’t mean to make you angry,” she said, her chest hurting from her heartfelt crying.  
“I’m not angry with _you _my love, I’m angry at them, whoever did this, I’m angry at you being in a dangerous situation like this,” he said in alarm. “I am not angry with you, please don’t think like that.”__  
“But look at the place,” she said, tears still running down her face.  
He used his thumbs and wiped them away. “I do not care about this place right now,” he told her, his words gentle. “I am more concerned with you. I haven’t even looked around yet, and I have no intention of looking until you’ve been checked out and I know you’re alright.”  
“I’m fine,” she said. “It’s just cuts and bruises. I’ll heal.”  
“Get checked out,” he said softly.  
“No.”  
He sighed, pulling her back against him. She closed her eyes, weary and in turmoil from the night’s events. His long blond hair brought a sense of comfort as she snuggled against him, the lengths soft against her cheek.  
A soft tap at the door drew their attention.  
“Hey,” Ray said quietly, poking his head around the door. “I just wondered if you guys needed anything.”  
Thranduil reached around into his back pocket, withdrawing a wad of notes. “Can you go over to the store across the street and get coffee and something to eat for everyone?” he asked, holding the cash out behind him. “I think everybody needs to relax a little, unwind a bit.”  
“Will do,” Ray said, stepping into the room. “I’ll get a receipt.”  
He waved him off. “Oh, Ray?” He turned to look at him over his shoulder. “Thankyou for being here to support Amethyst.”  
He blushed. “No problem! I just wish she hadn’t come in when she did,” he said. “Anyway, I’ll be back as soon as I can.” With that, he disappeared, closing the door again and leaving them alone.  
Thranduil inhaled deeply as he turned back to look at Amay, who watched him with wary eyes.  
“Why did you think I was angry with you?” he asked her.  
She shrugged. “You barged in and almost took the door off,” she said. “And it would stand to reason if you were pissed off.”  
“Why?”  
“Because I let this happen,” she said.  
“Stop, stop, stop,” he said, shaking his head. “I do not want to hear this, Amethyst. This wasn’t your fault, and there was nothing you could have done. Don’t shoulder the blame my love, it isn’t yours to carry around.”  
“But you’re in the middle of turning your whole life upside down to come over to run this place, and you’ve come back to a war zone,” she told him.  
“Uh-uh. I am not turning it upside down to run this place,” he corrected her. “I’m turning it upside down to be with you. You are my top priority, not Indigo’s. And so you always will be.”  
Her eyes lowered as she toyed absent-mindedly with the buttons on his black shirt. “I still feel responsible,” she said quietly.  
“Do not,” he told her, using the tip of his index finger to tip her chin up so she could look into his eyes. “I want you to get checked over by a doctor.”  
“No,” she said. “Forget doctors. I’m fine, honestly. If I don’t feel right, I promise to tell you, ok?”  
“Fine,” he relented with a sigh. “But I shall be keeping a close eye on you.”  
“You need rest after your flight,” she said, drowning in ice blue.  
“I will rest with you when you rest,” he replied. “I’ve missed you so much these last few days…the nights were so fucking lonely without you at my side.”  
She nodded. “I missed you too,” she whispered. “It was like half of me had been torn away.”  
Her eyes drifted closed as his soft warm mouth touched hers, and she purred in pleasure, sliding her arms back around his neck.


	12. Aftermath

CHAPTER TWELVE

 

Thranduil kept a close eye on Amay over the next hour or so, as everybody settled for something to eat amongst the destruction that used to be Indigo’s. She was quiet, but stayed close to him, never leaving his side. Several times he moved to reach for something or to shift his position, and she instinctively leaned closer to re-establish the physical touch between them.  
His heart ached.   
He knew she was feeling guilty over what had happened through the night. He knew she was in pain, and he knew she had suffered being away from him since the previous Tuesday evening when he’d flown out.  
“That bruise is a nice shade Peach, it almost matches your top,” Ray told her with a grin as he swigged his coffee.  
She flipped her middle finger at him, making Thranduil smirk to himself.  
“How thoughtful of you to say so,” she said dryly. “Maybe I should’ve worn a purple one, would’ve blended in better.”  
Ray snorted. “Nope. I think it would’ve clashed. You’d have to change your name to the Purple Wonder and run around with big hair and high-heeled boots.”  
She shook her head, ignoring his wise-ass comments. “God knows where we start with all this mess,” she pondered.  
“We will begin tomorrow,” Thranduil replied. He sat on a step just above the one she was on, and her arm was wrapped around his left calf. “We will not achieve anything here today. Everyone needs to rest and gather themselves together, particularly you.”  
Ray grinned, and she scowled.  
“What’s the point in putting it off?” she questioned.   
“I need a sleep, and so do you,” was his instant reply. “And if you think I’m leaving you here to sort this, you’re sorely mistaken. We can all return in the morning, refreshed and ready to work.”  
“Someone giving you orders…never thought I’d see the day,” Ray smirked.  
“Chuck it, FuckFace, or else you might not see another day,” she retorted. “You’re right, you do need sleep,” she added over her shoulder to Thranduil.  
“As do you,” he returned. He broke off a piece of his chicken mayo sandwich, leaning forward and placing it in her mouth. “And you’ve hardly eaten a thing.”  
She chewed, drawing daggers at Ray who seemed highly amused. “I don’t know what you’re laughing at,” she mumbled through her mouthful.   
“Peach, I just love the fact that a guy actually exists who can tame you,” he told her. “And even more so, you’ve found him. Cherish him.”  
“I do,” she said, glancing over her shoulder again.  
Ice blue eyes met hers, and he smiled at her.  
“I suggest we head home, and come back at ten o’clock tomorrow,” he said, his deep velvet voice caressing her senses. “Everybody rest up, forget this place for a while. Ray, would you put an announcement of sorts on the social media page? Don’t go into any detail, just something about being closed for refurbishment or something. I’m sure you can use your imagination.”  
Ray whipped his phone out of his pocket immediately, flipping through screens and tapping furiously. “Consider it done,” he replied, not taking his attention from the phone.  
“Where is your phone, sweetheart? I tried several times to call when I landed, but it wouldn’t connect,” Thranduil said.  
Amay looked back at him with sad eyes. “It was in my back pocket, and got smashed when those two bastards tackled me,” she said.  
“We will replace it,” he told her, rubbing her shoulder. “Nothing has been lost that cannot be replaced.”  
She leaned closer against his leg, and he knew she was drawing comfort from the contact. His heart warmed at the thought that he could bring her peace in such a turbulent time.  
“Come on, my love. Let’s go home,” he said softly. “Let’s meet at ten tomorrow morning,” he added to the assembled group. “Ray, I shall leave you to secure the building.”  
He nodded, finally looking up from his phone. “Media page is updated,” he announced. “Sure, I’ll make sure the place is air tight. You guys look after each other.”  
Thranduil handed him the keys, knowing the building company he’d called in would help him secure the doors so no-one else would enter once they’d left.  
Back at Amay’s apartment, he observed her unobtrusively, intent on making sure she suffered no after-effects of what had happened, both to the club and to her.  
“Come, I have run a bath for you,” he said, walking over to her and holding out his hand. “You need to soak for a while, get rid of the tension in you.”  
“You should be asleep,” she grumbled, shifting from her position on the couch and rising to her feet, taking his hand.  
“I will sleep when you sleep,” he replied and led her through to the bathroom.  
The bath looked so inviting, filled with steaming hot water and fragrant bubbles.   
“Let me help you,” he said, turning to her and lifting her top up over her shoulders. He shook his head at the bruises, tutting softly, but saying nothing. She took her bra off and tossed it on the floor on top of the vest top.   
Lowering himself to his haunches, he peeled her jeans and underwear down her legs, taking a sharp breath. “Look at what they did to you,” he whispered, lifting his eyes to hers.  
“I’ll be ok,” she replied and stepped out of the clothing.  
He took her arm and helped her step into the bath, making sure she didn’t slip or lose her balance. Once she was settled, he knelt on the floor and leaned his arms on the side of the tub, resting his chin on his hands.  
“What?” she asked, feeling scrutinized under his watchful gaze.  
A soft smile formed on his lips. “I just want to look at you,” he told her. “I missed you so much. And I return to find you beaten.”  
“I’ve been through worse on a rough night in Indigo’s,” she said, leaning back and closing her eyes. “Don’t worry about me. And I missed you too.”  
“I do worry, and I always will worry,” he informed her as he lifted the sponge from the soapy water. “That is my right, and you cannot stop that.”  
She _hmmm _’d as she relaxed, and he gently washed her. “You don’t have to do this,” she said, a sleepy tone to her voice.  
“I wish to,” he replied. “Indulge me.”  
“I want to,” she said, turning her head and opening her eyes to meet his. “We haven’t touched each other in almost a week, but I’m really sore and achy just now…I don’t know how much use I will be to you.”  
Thick eyebrows came down in a deep frown, and he halted what he was doing. “Stop that,” he said. “Sex can wait, for God’s sake. I’m more concerned with your well-being than getting in between your legs right now. You need to rest and heal, you crazy woman.”  
She chuckled at his words, closing her eyes again. “I’m sure I can find a way to take care of your needs,” she murmered.  
“You will get dried, get into your pyjamas, and you will sleep,” he ordered. “Otherwise, I shall sleep on the couch.”  
Her eyes flew open in alarm, making him smirk.  
“Do not think I wouldn’t,” he warned her softly.   
Determined ice blue stared into stubborn deep blue, until she gave up and sighed in defeat.  
“You know I need you at my side,” she relented.  
“Yes, as I do you,” he said, helping her to stand and wrapping her in a fluffy bath towel. “This will be the first decent sleep I will have had since Tuesday. I need it, and I know you do also.”  
“Fine, my Lord and Master,” she grinned, and lifted her mouth for his kiss.  
*****  
Pinching the bridge of his nose, Thranduil paced the office, stepping over piles of garbage as he listened to the voice on the other end of the phone.  
“I do not care what policies you have in place, I want someone out here today to assess the damage,” he interrupted. “Not tomorrow, not next week, today.”  
The voice prattled on.  
“Fine. If that is how you wish to play it, so be it. I will be contacting the registration board and lodging an official complaint,” he snapped. “I do not pay exuberant insurance fees to be messed around when there is a crisis such as this.” He disconnected the call and grunted in frustration.  
Loud yelling and cursing from the main floor caught his attention, and he turned towards the large window.  
A smile tugged at the corners of his lips.  
Amay was hauling and tugging on one of the heavy seating booths in an attempt to move it across the floor. Ray had spotted her and charged over to her, shouting and gesticulating before pulling her away from it. She yelled and swore at him, shoving him aside and resuming her grip on the furniture that had to weigh several times her body weight. Ray threw his hands up and tugged her backwards, and she flipped round and pushed him back a few steps.  
The terms _fuckwit, I can fucking do this _, and _fuck off _floated up to his ears, and his smile turned to a full grin.  
Deciding he’d better intervene as he watched her lift a broken light fitting and toss it in her friend’s direction – missing as he ducked – he left the office and headed downstairs.  
Amay was still in full flow, hurling torrents of abuse at Ray who was determined to remove her from what she was trying to do.  
“Boss, tell this stubborn-assed woman of yours,” he pleaded, as he approached them.  
“This is way too heavy for you, my love,” he murmered into her ear as he slid his arms around her waist from behind. “There are others in here who can move it.”  
She turned in his arms, anger and determination in her eyes. “I’m not a weak, fragile flower,” she snapped. “I can do my share.”  
“I am not denying that,” he said, fighting his amusement. “But let stronger people do this.”  
“Bugger off,” she grumbled, freeing herself and turning back to the booth.  
Ray shook his head. “See what you’ve let yourself in for?” he said to Thranduil. “Good luck, that’s all I can say.”  
“Shut your face,” she growled, hauling and pulling.  
Ray and Thranduil joined her, and between them, they moved the unit out of the building to join the ever-growing pile of wreckage in the parking lot.  
“Would it have been that difficult to ask for help?” her lover asked, his eyes sparkling with merriment.  
She glared at him, planting her hands on her hips.  
He stepped over to her, stopping so close, his chest touched hers as he breathed. His gaze lowered to her mouth, and his tongue licked his bottom lip. Her eyes tracked the movement, her pupils dilating. Slowly, he lowered his head and brushed his warm mouth over hers, pulling her lower lip between his teeth.  
She gasped, her hands lifting to rest against his chest. His heartbeat thudded through his hooded top under her palms. She tilted her head slightly, accepting his tongue as he pushed it into her mouth, taking his time and exploring the welcoming depths.   
He murmered softly, enjoying the taste of her, the feeling of her body against his. Her hands slid up to his shoulders and around his neck.  
“Yeah, ok then, we’ll slog our guts out, and you guys can do sexy stuff out here,” Ray drawled with a grin. “Take your time, folks.”  
Thranduil smiled as he lifted his head, his gaze on hers. “I could spend all day doing this,” he said quietly.  
Ray snorted and disappeared back inside, muttering about sex maniacs and such like.  
“We’d better get back inside,” she admitted, albeit reluctantly.  
“I want to be inside,” his soft whisper told her, sending butterflies batshit crazy in her stomach in anticipation. “Deep inside. Inside you.”  
She laughed, gripping his hand and tugging him back towards the building. “Later, my love, later,” she promised.   
He grumbled good-naturedly, allowing her to lead him back to work.______


	13. More Damage

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

 

The morning passed rapidly, with a short break for lunch, which one of the girls went out for. Everybody settled in groups on the floor, tucking into their food as they talked and laughed despite the air of gloom in the nightclub.  
Afterwards, Thranduil told Amay he needed to call Bard back in the UK, regarding developments within his company.  
She waved him away, assuring him they were on top of things. The washrooms were almost cleared, all the debris swept up and cleaned, and they were working on the main dance floor.  
Satisfied that Ray would keep a watchful eye on her, he went up to the office to make his phone call. The conversation went on for quite a while, and eventually he felt his energy draining as he attempted to guide his business partner through what he needed to do.  
He glanced out of the window as he paced back and forth, something catching his attention.  
A large wall unit had been taken off the damaged wall and placed on the floor. Amay was standing next to it, yelling instructions and guiding her team as she always did, fluently and efficiently. She shifted her weight from one foot to the other, and the loose flooring under her feet moved enough to topple the unit off-balance.  
Ray roared a warning as he caught sight of it falling, but he was too late. The steel brackets protruded dangerously, and as the unit crashed to the floor, one of them ripped across her left thigh, tearing through the denim of her jeans.  
Blood flowed instantly.  
She screamed in agony.  
“I have to go, I’ll call you back,” Thranduil said into the phone, disconnecting the call immediately and hurrying out of the office. He sped down the stairs, leaping down several at a time.  
Those present eyed him with a sense of trepidation as he approached, anger in his gait.  
“I have seen enough,” he snapped, lowering himself to his knees before Amay, who was bent over gasping in pain as she held her thigh with both hands. He gently removed her hands, inspecting the gaping wound.  
Someone handed him a towel, which he bunched and pressed tightly against her, making her howl in pain.  
“This needs attention,” he told her, lifting his eyes to look at her.  
The fact that she didn’t argue worried him. It wasn’t in her nature to lie down to anything. Standing back up, he swept her into his arms, turning to the staff present.  
“Ray, please secure the building,” he ordered. “Everybody go home. I will arrange for a clearance team to come tomorrow and do this. I am not having any more accidents.”  
He took her out of the nightclub, with the promise from Ray that he would lock up and text them later to see how things were. Amay breathed heavily, her body trembling in his arms.  
“Stay with me, my love,” he told her, settling her into the passenger seat of the CRV and buckling her in safely. “I’m taking you to the hospital.”  
She nodded weakly, and he shook his head as he rounded the vehicle and slid into the driver’s seat. Within seconds, they were heading off in the direction of the hospital.  
Glancing over at her as he steered around the car in front, he noticed she was curled up slightly, facing towards the car door, the towel gripped tightly against her thigh.  
He reached across with one hand and held it over both of hers, a heavy frown over his eyes. The car accelerated.  
By the time they arrived, she was ashen in colour and sweating as she battled with her pain. Again, he lifted her as though she weighed nothing, marching inside and demanding attention for her.  
The doctor on duty attempted to tell him he had to wait in the communal waiting area while they tended to her, but soon backed off when met with an icy glare.  
“You’re gonna need a tetanus shot, honey,” the robust nurse attending told her, preparing a syringe. “That wound is the equivalent of a stab wound. God knows what infection you might have picked up.”  
Amay winced at the shot, but remained quiet otherwise.  
Thranduil stood next to her, her hand held tightly in his. “You’ll be ok, sweetheart,” he murmered reassuringly. “I promise.”  
“It’s just a scratch,” she mumbled.  
The nurse snorted, giving her a powerful painkiller shot. “What do you do for a living, wrestle lions or something? It sure looks like you’ve been through the wars recently.”  
“She was attacked yesterday,” Thranduil answered. “And refused to be checked over.”  
“Stubborn lady,” the nurse commented. She turned her attention to the gaping wound which was still bleeding heavily. “Ok honey, we’re gonna clean this, then the doc will stitch it for you, alright?”  
Amay nodded, breathing deeply.  
Thranduil tightened his grip on her hand. “No more work,” he whispered to her.  
She grunted something nonsensical in reply, closing her eyes.  
The nurse worked quickly, and the doctor reappeared with sterilised instruments to stitch the wound. One glaring look from the blond who towered over him told him that he’d better do a good job, and he took a deep breath as he began his work.  
Thranduil sat on the edge of the bed, smoothing her hair away from her face, and talking in soft tones to her as the doctor stitched away. Before long, he had finished and hurriedly left the room to allow the nurse to bandage his work.  
“Take it easy for the next few days,” she advised. “We’ll need you back to check it out and remove the stitches in about a week. If there’s any seepage or bleeding, get straight back to us.”  
“I shall keep an eye on her,” Thranduil informed her.  
She smiled. “Somehow, that does not surprise me,” she commented. “Are you guys married?”  
“No,” he replied.  
“No difference,” she said, winding the bandage around Amay’s thigh. “You can see the love between you guys. It’s refreshing to see, especially in a place like this.”  
An hour or so later, Amay decided she’d had enough in the white, sterile surroundings and wanted to go home. The nurse approved, providing she stayed off her feet and rested.  
“Do you need a wheelchair?” she asked, as Amay struggled to swing her legs off the bed.  
“Yes,” Thranduil answered.  
“No,” she said, at the same time.  
They glared at each other.  
The nurse chuckled. “Well, y’all discuss it and let me know if you need one,” she said decidedly, laughing to herself as she left them alone.  
“I need to get out of here,” Amay said, scowling past his arm at a young doctor who had stopped and was looking at Thranduil’s profile in open admiration. She caught the poisonous look, turned beetroot red and vanished.  
“I am not sure you can walk like this,” he told her.  
“Shite,” she muttered, placing her feet on the floor and sliding off the edge of the bed. She grabbed his offered arm for support, wincing as she began to hobble next to him. He wound his other arm around her waist, shaking his head at her stubbornness and determination.  
They approached the nurses’ station, where she balanced on one foot to sign her discharge papers. Thranduil handed his credit card to the nurse there.  
“Hey, what are you doing?” she demanded. “My medical insurance will cover it.”  
He didn’t reply, just glanced at her as he took the card back once it had been processed. Wordlessly, he took her arm again and slowly guided her towards the exit, paying no attention to her muttering and grumbling.  
*****  
Amay lay on her right side, feeling uncomfortable. Her instinct was to turn onto her left, but the throbbing pain in her thigh prevented her from moving. Her back was sore and she fidgeted as she tried to get comfortable.  
She looked at Thranduil, who was lying next to her on the pillow. His eyes were closed, thick, dark lashes gently touching his upper cheeks. His breathing was slow and deep, and he looked completely relaxed and at peace.  
“You should be asleep,” he murmered.  
“I thought you were,” she replied.  
He opened his eyes and smiled. “I could feel you watching me,” he told her.  
“I’m allowed,” she said with a small smile of her own.  
“That, and millions more,” he agreed. “But you should rest. You were out like a light on the way home. The painkiller knocked you for six.”  
“Maybe not a bad thing,” she said.   
Ice blue eyes held hers in the semi-darkness, and he could read her thoughts as he gazed at her.  
“You want me,” he whispered.  
“Yes,” she whispered back.  
Seconds ticked past as he closed the gap between them, his warm lips touching hers in a sensual kiss. His tongue pushed into her open mouth, inviting a deep moan in response as she accepted him hungrily. Her arms lifted and she caressed the side of his neck, his flesh warm and smooth under her touch.  
He gently rolled her onto her back without breaking the kiss, nudging his knee between hers to open them. Settling his weight, he lifted her left knee and placed it over his hip. She practically purred as he nudged at her entrance, already hard and ready for her.  
Her hips lifted in welcome, and he pushed into molten wet heat with slow deliberation.   
“Mmm, more baby,” she murmered into his mouth. “More.”  
“I do not want to cause you any more pain,” he whispered, his lips brushing hers.  
“I’m ok,” she assured him, lifting her other leg and crossing it over his back. “I need more. I need everything. I need you.”  
“You have me, my love,” he told her. “You have all of me.”  
He began to move in her, slow, deep thrusts that made the flames of passion burn hotter. His eyes held hers as he moved, deepening the connection between them. She gasped as he hit every sensitive spot, each slow thrust sending her higher. His hips rolled as he pushed deeper, his arms trembling on either side of her as he held his weight.   
“Nothing in the world feels as good as this,” he whispered. “The feel of you gripping me, soaking me…”  
Her insides contracted around him in response to his words, her arms tightening around his neck as she tugged him back to kiss her.  
Hungry mouths devoured each other, hot, wet kisses that strengthened the bond and increased their desire. Soft pants and moans filled the air as they climbed higher and higher.  
Thranduil slid in and out of her with ease, lubricated by her desire for him and what only he could do to her. Her body clenched around his, enticing him deeper into the whirlpool of lust that cocooned them. She tangled her hands in his hair, kissing him with a hunger that only he could satisfy.  
He broke away from her, dropping his head onto her chest with a deep moan. “I do not think I can go much longer,” he panted. “It has been too long without you.”  
He slid a hand between them, gently rubbing her clitoris as he thrust in again and again, and she immediately tensed, her breathing turning to louder moans.   
“Come for me, sweetheart,” he whispered. “Come for me.”  
She grabbed him back to kiss him, her body tightening like a coiled spring, and that spring burst with force as he plunged his tongue into her mouth. She writhed and thrashed, her orgasm sending her spinning into orbit, and his thrusts gained momentum as he chased his own climax. It ripped up from the bottom of his soul, spurting his hot fluid deep within her as she gripped him hard.  
Panting heavily, he rolled with her over onto his back, settling her on top of him so her head rested on his shoulder. He pressed a breathless kiss to her temple, murmering soft words.  
She closed her eyes and relaxed, the heat from him infusing itself into her.  
“I’m sorry my love,” he murmered. “Next time will last longer, I promise.”  
She laughed softly. “Any time is worth it,” she replied. “Don’t ever doubt it.”  
He sighed in contentment, his body sated and relaxed. “You deserve more.”  
She snorted. “When did you become so insecure?” she questioned, lifting puzzled eyes to meet his.  
“Probably around the time you began to fear a lover’s reaction,” he replied, meeting her gaze head-on. “I saw the fear in your eyes, sweetheart, when I returned from the airport. There was no need. Never ever fear me. Forget the past, forget what was done to you.”  
She nodded, lowering her gaze.  
He gently tipped her chin back up. “I mean it,” he said quietly. “You are my Queen, you are the centre of my existence. I will never hurt you, I will never intentionally bring you pain or heartache. I will move mountains to make you happy, safe, and secure. Believe in me.”  
“I do,” she said with a gentle smile. “I do.”  
“Good,” he said, and gave her a tender kiss before tugging her back down to lie against him.


	14. Determined And Stubborn

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

 

Amay sighed softly as her gaze swept the ruined nightclub. Thranduil sat on the steps, watching her.  
“Come here, my love,” he said, spreading his thighs and patting the step below him.  
She approached him, turning and lowering herself between his legs, which closed protectively against her sides. His arms slid around her waist, and she placed her hands on his.  
“Sam would be turning in his grave if he could see this,” she said, watching a worker in a cherry picker dismantle loose sections of the ceiling above them.  
“He would be doing exactly what we are doing,” Thranduil replied, placing a kiss on her neck. His soft blond hair hung over her shoulder with her own, as he leaned over. “He would be getting an outside contractor to clear this crap away, instead of his employees being put at risk.”  
She grunted.  
“How is your leg?” he asked.  
“Still sore, but not as bad as it was yesterday,” she told him. “I’m a quick healer, but I get impatient at being restricted.”  
His rumble of laughter vibrated through his chest into her back. “I am well aware. But you will have to be patient. You are banned from doing anything around here until the place has been cleared, and meets my level of satisfaction.”  
“Awww, you guys look so good together,” Vicky observed, halting as she reached them. “Listen, I wanted to ask you – have you seen any sign of Wendy since Sam’s funeral?”  
Amay shook her head. “Nope. I pissed her off when I warned her off Thranduil. She’d been making eyes at him, touching his hair.”  
Vicky’s eyes widened. “Ah. That explains the rumours I heard,” she said.  
“I noticed her absence the last two days, when everyone else came in,” Thranduil said, earning himself a glare from Amay. “I am an observant man, I notice things,” he told her. “I did not notice for the reasons that are going through your mind.”  
“You’ve got nothing to worry about there Amay, he only has eyes for you,” Vicky said, taking her phone from her jacket pocket. “I found this earlier on this morning.”  
She flipped through various screens, before handing it to Amay.  
Thranduil leaned his chin on her shoulder, his eyes narrowing.  
Wendy had posted on her social media page, one solitary word.  
_Done _.__  
Amay took a deep breath. “This smacks of her being behind this,” she said. “But it’s not concrete proof. We can’t have her charged with anything solely on this.”  
Vicky shrugged. “At least you know which direction to be watching,” she said. “I thought when I saw it that she’s taken leave of her senses. That just points the finger of guilt right at her.”  
Amay tapped rapidly on the screen, accessing who had commented and who had reacted to the post, drawing no further conclusions. “Her time will come,” she vowed, handing the phone back. “I can out-wait the devil if I have to.”  
Vicky moved her position to allow a crew of workmen past armed with wrecked furnishings. “Anyway, I thought you should know,” she said.  
Amay nodded. “I’ll be watching her a wee bit closer,” she vowed.  
Her loyal staff member left, going back to whatever she had been doing.  
Thranduil leaned his head against Amay’s.  
“I fucking hate her,” she said quietly.  
“I know sweetheart,” he replied.  
“Not only did she try to destroy us, but she’s destroyed our livelihood,” she continued. “That deed does not go unpunished.”  
“Just relax for the time being,” he advised her. “She will show her true colours when we are least expecting it, believe me. People like that always do.”  
“How can I relax?” she asked indignantly. “I want to rip her face off, dammit.”  
“I can relax you,” he said, sliding his hand up her throat. His index and middle finger tipped her chin back, and his mouth touched hers. His tongue nudged against her bottom lip, sweeping along the length of it and encouraging her to open up to him. She complied, whimpering as his tongue sought refuge. His mouth caressed hers as his tongue twisted and turned with hers, enticing it into an erotic duel which she greedily participated in. His left hand remained at her throat, his thumb picking up the accelerating pulse of her heartbeat. She leaned closer to him, winding one arm up around his neck and holding him in position.  
His erection pressed tight against her lower back, throbbing and pulsing for her touch. She wriggled slightly against him, drawing a deep moan from him.  
“Sex, sex, sex, every goddamned place you look,” Ray’s voice cut in with a note of hilarity. “Can’t keep your hands off each other.”  
Thranduil slowly broke his kiss, lifting his head fractionally before lowering it again and reclaiming her mouth with a tender brush of his lips against hers.  
“Nobody’s having any sex, not in this place,” he replied, lifting his eyes to his employee with a smirk.  
Amay slowly opened her eyes, gazing up at him, blinking to regain her equilibrium and gather her senses. She shook her head to clear it, dazed and disorientated.  
Ray fell around laughing. “Look at the mess she’s in, after just a kiss!” he hooted. “Jesus Christ…I hate to think what she’s like after a hot sesh.”  
“Shut your face,” she spat, dragging herself into a more upright position. “You’re just jealous.”  
“And I openly admit it,” he said dramatically. “Anyway, can I have your attention for a minute, boss?” The latter was directed at Thranduil. “We’ve sorted through some of the crap in the basement, we’re just not sure how you want us to proceed from there.”  
Thranduil slowly released his hold on Amay, taking a deep breath and rising to his feet. “I won’t be long,” he told her, stooping to kiss her cheek.  
Ray’s eyes widened as he turned to face him, his face blushing furiously.  
Amay flipped her middle finger at him. “Keep your eyes to yourself,” she warned, a hint of humour in her tone.  
Thranduil laughed and followed him towards the basement.  
She glanced around, chewing on her lower lip. The workmen called in were making amazing progress, but nobody had been into the offices. She gripped the handrail and hauled herself to her feet, limping up the stairway and disappearing round the corner.  
The sight that greeted her in the main office brought a tidal wave of sadness with it. Sam had worked hard to gain a sense of order after she’d started working for him, with her encouraging him to update his filing system and get organised. The once homely, tidy office lay in ruins.  
Taking a deep breath, she hobbled across to the far wall and heaved a filing cabinet upright, pushing it back against the wall where it had lived for years. The other four cabinets followed suit, and she stopped for a minute to breathe through the sharp pains shooting through her leg.  
Spying the massive polished desk which lay upside down, she decided it would be next. She nudged reams of paperwork aside with her toe as she made her way over to it, grasping it and using all her body weight to move it.  
Letting out an exclamation of frustration, she stepped back for a second then attempted it again. The desk was solid, and wouldn’t budge.  
She gritted her teeth, getting mad at the stubborn object, and tried again, using everything she had.  
“Amethyst!” a voice roared in anger.  
She squealed in fright and dropped the desk, having managed to lift one end about a foot off the floor. It crashed back down, and she jumped backwards.  
Thranduil towered in the doorway, furious. “What the hell are you doing?” he demanded.  
Her eyes widened as he entered the room, and he stopped, his face softening instantly.  
“Come here,” he said, opening his arms.  
She hesitantly stepped towards him, and his arms closed around her back in a warm embrace.  
“I leave you for two minutes and you are already up to mischief,” he murmered into her hair. “You are more mischievous than a caged-up monkey.”  
“I didn’t mean-“ she started.  
“You did not make me angry,” he interrupted. “I get angry when I see you in a situation where you might come to harm, not at you.” He pulled back and gazed at her, framing her face with both warm hands. “I love you. I want to protect you. That is why I am paying for a company to come in and clear this wreckage, so that you do not have to do it. My God woman, you drive me crazy.” He laughed, dropping a tender kiss on her mouth.  
“Can you help me lift the desk?” she asked.  
He sighed in exasperation. “No.”  
Her face fell, and he released her, walking around her and with one swift movement, hoisted the desk upright. He turned back to her, a smug smile on his face as she growled at him.  
“Sometimes my love, all you need to do is ask,” he whispered, kissing her again as he went past her. “I am going to bring coffee up, and we will sit _together _and take our time going through all this paperwork, _together _. If you are unsure what that word means, google it.” He left the office with a grin.____  
*****  
Heaving a sigh, Amay tossed a handful of papers to one side. They landed on a pile on the floor, sliding off and resting on the carpet.  
Thranduil glanced up from the documents he was holding. “Are you ok?” he asked, a frown of concern appearing.  
“Yes, I’m just sick of all this work having to go into the trash,” she said. “There’s hours and hours, weeks even, of work that’s useless now.”  
“Do not worry yourself,” he advised in his usual calm, unruffled manner. “We have all the time in the world to rectify everything.”  
“Not really,” she said. “This place has to reopen soon, the guys need wages. We can’t expect them to be here for nothing.”  
He shrugged carelessly. “It’s covered.”  
“Did the insurance assessor come out?” she asked.  
“Yes, with the usual shit about waiting for a week to ten days before we hear anything,” he replied, shuffling a stack of papers and setting them to one side. “Don’t worry sweetheart, everything is under control.”  
“I wish I had your logic,” she muttered.  
“I’m surprised I have any logic left,” he said dryly. “Every time I turn my back, you are up to something.”  
She grinned devilishly. “Am not.”  
One eyebrow lifted in reproach. “I think I should tie you to the bed, that way I would know where you are.”  
“Oooh, perverted promises,” she laughed. “Have you ever done that tie-sy up-sy thing?”  
He grinned at her description of the act. “No. Have you?”  
She laughed heartily. “No. Any partner I had never had time to fuck around with anything like that. They were more interested in getting their end off than playing around.”  
His eyebrows came down in a scowl. “Not that I’m saying bondage is for everyone, but you have had some selfish lovers, sweetheart,” he said. “A woman’s body should be teased, adored, worshipped, taken to heights no-one else has ever taken it. It is not there to be used solely as a means to an end for selfish pleasure.”  
She studied him, amazed at how he thought. “I still don’t know how you stayed single for all those years,” she muttered, going back to her task at hand.  
“I told you, I’m very choosy about who I take to bed,” he replied. “How many have you slept with?”  
Her cheeks tinged pink. “You’re my fourth,” she answered. “You?”  
He grinned. “You have nothing to be embarrassed about. You’re my fourth too.”  
“Wow, that’s spooky,” she said. “It’s weird how much we have in common.”  
“Do you know what the first thing in common was to catch my attention?” he asked, leaning towards her.  
“Long hair?”  
“Nope.” He lifted her right hand, rubbing his thumb and forefinger against the celtic ring she wore on her index finger. “Almost the same as mine, and worn on the same finger.” Ice blue eyes lifted to hers, and heat collected in between her legs at his look.  
“The odds are astronomical,” she said softly.  
Ray chose that moment to barge in. “Ah-ha, I managed to catch you not doing anything sexy,” he chirped. “Right boss, that’s the basement finished. What next?”  
Thranduil bit back his amusement at the glare Amay threw in her friend’s direction. “I think we will ease off for the rest of the day,” he said. “It’s late afternoon, so if you can lock up as usual, everybody can go home for the day. Regroup tomorrow, same time.”  
“Great,” Ray answered. “I’ll let everybody know. The contractors left about twenty minutes ago.”  
Thranduil nodded. “Fine. We’ll be down shortly.”  
Ray grinned at Amay, and scooted out of the office.  
Thranduil took the documents out of her hand and set them on the floor, extending his hand to her as he stood. “Come on my love, let’s get out of here for a while.”  
She gripped his hand and he pulled her gently to her feet, where he cupped her face and kissed her slowly.  
“Time to feed you,” he said, and led her from the office.


	15. The Next Step

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A shorter chapter than normal, I'll make up for it x

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

 

Amay relaxed against the back of her seat, the candlelight flickering in her eyes. Across the table from her, Thranduil smiled as he watched her.  
“Eaten too much, have you?” he teased.  
“Only a wee bit,” she replied. “Actually, a big bit.”  
His smile widened into a grin as he placed his knife and fork onto his empty plate. “As long as you enjoyed what you ate,” he said.  
“Oh yes, I did,” she assured him. “Do you want another coffee? I’m going to have one.”  
“Why not?”  
She nodded the waiter over and requested two more coffees, and he bowed and vanished to make them.  
“About earlier today,” Thranduil said, toying with the edge of his napkin. “Tell me what happened.”  
“Concerning?” she asked with a confused frown.  
“Your reaction when I came upstairs.” His soft words eased the tension that had already started creeping up her spine.  
She shrugged. “I told you, I had an abused past,” she replied. “And I guess if I’m being honest, sometimes it comes back to me and maybe I expect it to happen again.”  
“Amethyst, I would _never _harm a hair on your head,” he said, leaning forwards and taking her hand in his. “I promise you, _never _.”____  
“I know,” she said, a lump in her throat. “I know you wouldn’t. It’s just difficult sometimes, it was such an integral part of my life when I was with someone, and I suppose I unconsciously connect relationships with abuse.”  
“That is sad, sweetheart,” he said. “And it’s wrong. I will prove it to you.”  
She smiled, squeezing his fingers and releasing them as the waiter reappeared with their coffee. She whipped her credit card off her lap and handed it to him.  
Thranduil sighed, catching his attention, and shook his head subtly.  
The waiter handed it back to her with an apologetic smile, taking the one he offered instead.  
“This has got to stop,” she glowered as he walked away. “You paid the last time, and you paid for my treatment at the hospital, which I meant to bring up at the time but forgot because I was out of my tree on painkillers.”  
“I’m old-fashioned,” he shrugged.  
“Thranduil, I’m serious, babe,” she said.  
He leaned his elbows on the table as a different waiter cleared their plates away. “You cannot change me,” he told her. “Do not waste the coming years trying to.”  
Her insides warmed at the thought of years ahead with him.  
He saw the sparkle in her eyes. “What, did you think I was not looking towards the future?” he teased.  
“I do not make assumptions without being aware of all the facts,” she said decidedly.  
“Well my love, make assumptions. Dream of the future. Make wishes, make plans. Because I shall be with you to see them through,” he said.  
The waiter returned with his card, which he slid into his pocket. They drank their coffee, chatting casually, before leaving the restaurant.  
“What a gorgeous, clear night,” she murmered, walking along with her hand wrapped in his.  
He gazed up to the stars with a smile. “Yes,” he agreed. “There is somewhere I wish to take you briefly, before we head home.”  
She grinned like a child. “Where?”  
He raised his eyebrows, saying nothing as they slowly walked back to the car. He helped her to get comfortable inside before climbing in his side, steering the vehicle out into the traffic.  
Twenty minutes later, he pulled to a stop, glancing at her.  
“This is where we shared our first kiss,” she said, a smile on her face.  
“It is,” he said, and climbed out of the car.  
She took his hand as she got out of her side, walking with him along the concrete walkway. The waves lapped at the shore close by, the light of the moon flickering on the movement of the water.  
Stopping at roughly the same spot they had when they had been there previously, Thranduil turned to face her, his face serious.  
“I love you, Amethyst,” he told her. “I love you more than I ever thought I was capable of loving anybody. You rule my head, my heart, and my soul. You’ve taken over my life, you’ve given me so much to hope and dream for. Marry me.”  
She gasped, her mouth opening in shock.  
He waited, his heart hammering in his chest.  
“I…I…oh my God,” she whispered, stunned.  
“I know it’s all really quick, but I know what’s in my heart, I know how I feel,” he whispered.  
“Yes!” she cried. “Yes, I’ll marry you!”  
He started to laugh as he bent down and wrapped his arms around her, lifting her off her feet and twirling round and round with her. She clung to him, tears of joy flowing freely. The street lights and the surrounding darkness whirled past as he turned in circles, making her laugh with him.  
“Oh baby, you’ve made me so happy,” he said, setting her down again. His mouth pressed against hers, almost urgently to seal the agreement between them.  
“Are you sure you want to do this?” she asked, as he pulled back.  
“I would not have asked if I wasn’t,” he replied. “I want you to be my wife. I want us to be together forever.”  
“I would be honoured to be your wife,” she told him, running a hand down his cheek. “My God, I did not see that coming!”  
He laughed, pulling her into a tight embrace. “I have spoken of the future so many times, yet each time you have failed to pick up the hints I was giving you.”  
“I didn’t dare to,” she replied into his shoulder. “I was scared to think that far ahead, to dream that far.”  
“Well dream, my love, because we are going to make those dreams reality,” he said. He gazed down at her, love reflecting in the light blue of his eyes. His thumbs gently caressed her jaw as he studied her. “You are everything to me.”  
“As you are to me,” she whispered, lifting her mouth to his once more.  
*****  
Amay winced and held the phone away from her ear as Ray’s screech almost blasted her eardrum into a million pieces.  
Thranduil laughed and went through to the kitchen.  
“Calm down, you nutjob,” she roared over his yelling and whooping. “Are you listening to me? Goddammit Ray, quit screaming for a second.”  
The incessant racket continued, and she lowered the phone to her lap, turning to meet the eyes of her lover.  
“Why did I even tell him?” she muttered rhetorically. “HEY!” she yelled back into the phone.  
“Wait until everybody at the club hears about this!” he squealed. “I get to go shopping with you for your wedding dress. And I get to pick the colour of the flowers in your bouquet.”  
“You are _not _picking my wedding dress, and you are _not _picking the colour of any flowers,” she snapped.____  
Thranduil tipped his head back and roared with laughter.  
“Goddammit you’re more of a woman than I am,” she spat. “Stop screeching and listen to me.”  
More excited babbling.  
“No, we haven’t set a date yet,” she said, rolling her eyes.  
Thranduil placed a plate with toast on it before her, and she stole a quick kiss in return.  
“What d’you mean, a limo? Fuck sake get control of yourself,” she hissed. “Ray, I’m serious, get a grip of yourself.”  
Babble babble.  
“You are such a twisted pervert,” she grunted, lifting a slice of toast and taking a bite. “And no, you may _not _give the groom a congratulatory snog. Absolutely out of the question. I don’t even know why you’re my friend, I seriously don’t like you.”__  
Thranduil’s shoulders shook as he tried in vain to contain his laughter, drawing a glare from her.  
“Ok, this conversation is over,” she decided. “We’ll see you at the club in a couple of hours. That’s if you can get your head out of the clouds long enough to remember where the hell it is.” She cut the call and tossed the phone onto the table, leaning back against the couch with a heavy sigh. “What have I done?” she groaned.  
Thranduil slid his arm around her shoulders and pressed a kiss to her temple. “Made someone’s day,” he replied. “He’ll be on cloud nine for weeks about this.”  
“He’ll be doing my head in for weeks about this,” she retorted, taking another bite of her toast. “He’ll drive me bloody bonkers.”  
“His heart is in the right place,” he said. “I just need to make sure his hands are too.”  
She giggled. “Christ, he drools over you,” she said. “It’s hilarious.”  
“No it’s not,” he said.  
“Haha, yes it is,” she laughed. “Don’t worry, he wouldn’t make any advances. He knows I’d punch his lights out if he did.”  
“I should hope he would not,” he said dryly. “I assume he wants to do the bridal store trek?”  
“Oh God yes, he thinks he’s an expert on women’s clothes,” she replied. “And on flowers. And make-up, hairstyles, everything like that. He’s a fucking diva through and through.”  
“How is your leg?” he asked, noting that she rubbed it occasionally.  
“Itching like hell,” she said. “I can’t wait until the stitches come out.”  
“Only a day or two to go,” he said. “But you’ll still need to take it easy.”  
“Yes, my Lord and Master,” she quipped.  
He arched one eyebrow at her over his coffee, but said nothing as he smirked to himself.


	16. Amay and her Mischief

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shorter chapter than normal again folks, apologies. I was using a different computer as mine had blown up, and the damned thing wasn't counting my words or paragraphs. The next couple of chapters are similar, but after that it'll be back to normal length ones (new laptop) x

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

 

Cursing softly to herself, Amay balanced the hand holding the paintbrush on one knee, while wiping a streak of paint off her cheek with the other. The ladder she was perched astride wasn’t the most comfortable place in the world, but it had to do. Sounds floated to her coming from different parts of the club as the staff did their various tasks.  
She sighed, sorely missing the music that always played in the building, whether at a tolerable level during the day or at eardrum-bursting levels at night when Indigo’s was open to the public. The destruction of the DJ booth had put paid to anything being played to help the team get through their work.  
With a shake of her head, she resumed her task. The ceiling was huge, and she was sure the area she’d painted was much bigger than it actually looked. She’d been up there for almost two hours, and her back and shoulders were killing her.  
“Hey Peachy-Weachy,” a voice rang out, and she twisted round to see Ray entering the workspace.  
“Morning, honey-bunch,” she said with a grin. “How are you?”  
“Exhausted,” he yawned, heading straight for the coffee. “Couldn’t sleep last night. How about you? I bet you didn’t sleep much either.” He gave her a wicked grin.  
She pointed the paintbrush at him. “Pack that in, you twisted sex freak,” she laughed.  
“Y’all can’t keep your hands off each other, I think it’s kinda cute,” he said, leaning his elbows on his knees and cradling his mug as he sat on the bottom step of the stairway.  
A huge grin appeared, and she once again rested the paintbrush hand across her knee. “Ray, he’s amazing,” she said. “Sometimes I feel like I have to kick myself to see if he’s real.”  
“He’s real,” he assured her. “I’ve seen the way he looks at ya. Man is seriously loved-up.”  
“He’s not the only one,” she remarked, resuming her painting. “In fact, I-“  
“Goddammit woman, what are you doing up there?!” a voice yelled, causing her to jump. She twisted the other way to see Thranduil storming towards her, his eyes angry. “Do you know how dangerous that is? That ladder is not even stable…shit…come down.”  
Ray _tee-hee-hee _’d and made himself and his coffee scarce.  
Amay carefully turned her body so she could climb down the ladder, being careful she didn’t drip paint from the brush as she did so. She got partway down when she felt two strong, warm hands clasp around her waist and guide her the rest of the way to the floor.__

____

He turned her to face him, the anger gone from his eyes. “Do not put yourself at risk like that,” he said, his eyes searching her face. “Are you ok? Did you hurt yourself? What were you doing up there anyway?”

“Cheering the national anthem,” she quipped, and laughed at his face. “I was painting the ceiling...duh.”  
He frowned. “Why? The restoration company are coming tomorrow, it’s their job to paint the ceiling. What if you had fallen? What if you’d had an accident?”  
“I missed you,” she whispered, changing the subject.  
His eyes narrowed. “That does not get you off the hook as easily as you think, my love,” he said.  
She laughed. “But I did. You were on the phone for ages.”  
He took the paintbrush from her hand and placed it on the plastic drop sheet they stood on. “Promise me you will not do crazy stuff like that again,” he said, straightening back up and towering over her.  
“Thranduil, it’s not such a big deal,” she pointed out. “Anyway…if they don’t have to paint the ceiling, they can’t charge you for the work. See?”  
“Is that why you did this?” he spluttered.  
“Mm-hmm,” she nodded. “And I was bored. You won’t let me lift anything over three grams in weight, you won’t let me climb up the scaffolding to help fix anything, and I had to find something to do waiting for you to do your stuff.”  
“You could’ve been up in the office with me, and continuing to sort through the paperwork we started,” he told her.  
“You were busy, I didn’t want to disturb you or be in the way,” she said.  
He folded his arms and grunted. “Honestly, you are just like a monkey.”  
“Maybe I should stop shaving my legs and whatnot, just let my hair grow out so at least I’ll look like one,” she laughed. “You keep comparing me to one.”  
“That’s because you are mischievous like one,” he replied, and slid one arm around her waist. “Are you hungry?”  
“For?” she asked innocently, batting her eyelashes at him with a subtle smirk.  
A deep rumble vibrated through his chest. “An early lunch,” he said.  
She faked disappointment. “No hot, sweaty sex?”  
“Later,” he promised, lowering his mouth to kiss her. “Hot, sweaty, slow, sensual, teasing sex.” His words whispered against her mouth.  
She whimpered and slid her arms up around his neck, pulling him flush against her as her tongue battled with his.  
“Get a room, guys,” Ray interrupted, re-appearing with his cup. “Y’all will be putting off the decorators if you’re still doing that by the time they get here.”  
“You’re hilarious,” she retorted, reluctantly withdrawing from the heaven of Thranduil’s kiss. “And you need a hobby.”  
He sighed dramatically. “It’s not for the lack of wanting, Peach,” he said. “But nobody’s interested.”  
“No wonder,” she snorted. “Everybody’s heard what a weirdo you are.”  
Thranduil laughed. “Come on, I’ll take you out for lunch,” he said.  
“How about I take _you _out for lunch?” she proposed.__  
“No. A lady should never pay,” he replied as he slid his arm from her waist and draped it over shoulders instead. “I found a place a few miles from here, and I’m sure you will love the food there.”  
“Lead on,” she smiled, and they left Ray mumbling something about the fact that he wasn’t the only weirdo on the premises.  
*****  
A few days later, Amay glanced at Thranduil, unsure of what he was going to say.  
“What do you think?” he asked, turning his ice blue eyes to hers.  
“Honestly? I think it’ll look like shit,” she said with a shrug. “The colour scheme is all wrong, the wood isn’t going to fit in…it’s just crap. Sorry.”  
The interior design advisor sitting on the other side of the desk sighed and shook his head. “This is not shit,” he retaliated. “This style is very much in demand right now, with a lot of our clients. It’s very popular.”  
“They’re not running nightclubs,” she shot back. “I am. And I think this will look awful. I don’t like it.”  
“It isn’t you who’s paying for it, is it?” he snapped.  
“Watch your mouth,” Thranduil said, shooting him a glare. “Or you shall be taking your trade elsewhere. If she doesn’t like it, it doesn’t happen. It’s as simple as that.”  
He clicked on a few more samples on the laptop, spending only a few seconds on each one. Amay remained at his shoulder, sipping her coffee and pointedly ignoring the designer.  
“We’ll take some time to think it over,” Thranduil said finally, closing the program and shutting the laptop over. “We will call.”  
“Fine. Fair enough,” the designer sighed. He turned a few shades paler when he caught Thranduil’s icy stare. “You have my number. I look forward to dealing with you.” With that, he left the office.  
Amay watched him go, waiting until the door was closed firmly behind him.  
Thranduil turned to her, studying her.  
“What?” she asked, bewildered by his gaze.  
“I’m not going to do any business with him,” he decided. “Not after he disrespected you like that.”  
“Oh come on babe, so the guy has an attitude problem and doesn’t like a woman knowing what she wants. He’s with one of the best companies around here.”  
“And? We will go further afield,” he replied. “I’m not having someone come in and speak to you like that, Amethyst. I do not care who it is.”  
She smiled behind her mug, which didn’t go past him. “Protective much,” she murmered.  
“Yes. And it’s going to stay that way,” he told her, standing up and winding his arms around her waist. “If I can’t be protective over my woman, who will be?”  
Her insides did backflips at him calling her his woman. Her eyes fluttered closed as he leaned towards her and kissed her softly.  
“Goddammit, put the man down!” Ray hollered, bursting into the office. “Sex every goddamned place.”  
“You are really starting to grate on my damned nerves,” she shot at him, her anger disappearing rapidly at the wicked gleam in his eyes. “What d’you want?”  
“Just letting you know that we’re just about finished for the day,” he replied.  
“Good,” Thranduil said. “We’ll be down in a few minutes, and get the place locked up for the night.”  
“Catch you down there,” Ray sang, disappearing out of the room.  
Amay shook her head and looked up at Thranduil. She found herself caught in his penetrating gaze, unable to look away if her life and soul depended on it. His ice blue eyes promised untold pleasures, fulfilled dreams and fantasies, and held the key to the world’s mysteries. Blinking, she took a deep breath and broke the gaze, before she did something that might mean neither of them got home this side of midnight.  
“We should get going,” she said.  
He smiled, knowing by her eyes and the faint pink blush on her throat and neck that she was turned on. “Kiss me first.”  
Her gaze locked on his mouth; soft, pink, and inviting. Damn. The man was sex on legs and didn’t know it. A soft gasp escaped as her lips met his, and he gently coaxed her mouth open. Large, warm hands travelled up her back as his tongue probed and pushed, hers dancing in return to an unspoken tango. He pulled her tightly against him, his spontaneous erection pressing against her. Her breasts swelled against his chest, longing for him to caress them. She trailed a hand in between them and reached down to caress the large bulge that she couldn’t ignore, and he groaned as his arms tightened around her.  
“We can continue this at home,” he whispered, kissing down her neck. “We can stretch out and take our time, kissing and licking everywhere, touching and teasing…”  
“Holy shit,” she gasped, pushing at his shoulders. “Take me home, now!”  
He laughed heartily, breaking the embrace and grasping her hand in his. “Your wish is my command, my love,” he said, smiling tenderly. “And I shall grant your every wish.”  
Her insides melted further.


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm adding an extra chapter as the others are a little shorter than normal. A chapter of smut, to keep all you Thranduil-pervs happy x

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

 

Thranduil smiled to himself as he carried a bowl of strawberries through to the bedroom, finding Amay sitting cross-legged on the bed flicking through different screens on her tablet. Setting the bowl next to the pillows, he knelt down behind her and rested his chin on her shoulder.  
“Hey, you’re not allowed to look!” she protested, flipping the tablet over. “No looking!”  
“Why not?” he asked with a cheeky grin.  
“Because I was looking at wedding dresses, and you’re not allowed to see, that’s why,” she informed him. “Go and be nosey somewhere else while I do this.”  
“Amethyst, you could wear a paper bag on our wedding day and still take my breath away,” he said. “What you wear makes no difference.”  
“Charming,” she muttered. “A woman dreams of the perfect wedding gown and you say it doesn’t matter.”  
He laughed heartily. “You know I do _not mean _it like that,” he said. “I mean that whatever you pick, I know I shall like.”__  
“I’m not sure I do,” she murmered with a frown. “Some of the gowns are absolutely horrendous. Some are like whipped cream puddings, and others look like a prostitute would look right at home. I can’t seem to find what I have in mind, or anything remotely close to it.”  
“So why not design your own?” he suggested. He lifted a strawberry and popped it in his mouth.  
Her eyes dropped to his lips as he chewed slowly. “That’s supposed to be bad luck too,” she replied, slightly distracted.  
“Nonsense,” he said. “You make your own luck. I would not buy into all that hocus-pocus superstition nonsense, my love. Do whatever makes you feel happy.”  
“Maybe you’re right,” she sighed.  
“Here, try one of these,” he said, lifting another berry and holding it up to her. “They are delicious.”  
She leaned slightly and opened her mouth, letting him deposit the fruit inside, and she hummed as she chewed. “They’re really sweet,” she said. “Gorgeous.”  
“Not as gorgeous as you are,” he smiled, pressing his mouth to her neck just below her ear.  
“That reminds me, I need to book you an appointment at the optician,” she said, closing down the page on the tablet.  
“Why? There is nothing wrong with my vision,” he murmered, kissing his way down her neck.  
“Want a bet?” she laughed.  
A scream left her as he grabbed her and tossed her down onto her back, looming over her and holding her prisoner as he rested his hands on either side of her. She started to laugh at the look in his eyes.  
“I say you are gorgeous, woman, so that means you are,” he told her.  
“And I still say you need your eyes tested,” she laughed. Her laughter faded as he lowered his head and hovered so close to her, his tongue flicking out and teasing her bottom lip.  
“And I say you are wrong,” he whispered. His mouth gently brushed hers, a light sweep of his flesh against hers that made her moan for more. “You like?”  
“Mmm,” she murmered, trying to encourage him to deepen the contact.  
“More?”  
“Yes,” she whispered.  
He smiled, repeating the brief kiss. Her lips opened and enticed his entry, and he slid his tongue inside her mouth with a soft moan. Her legs flipped up and locked around his waist as her arms tightened around his shoulders, pulling his full weight down onto her. “Sneaky,” he whispered.  
“Rampant,” she corrected with a sparkle in her eyes. “Kiss me.”  
He needed no further encouragement, twisting his hands in her hair and devouring her mouth with a strong burst of passion. She twisted her body and rolled him over, giving her dominant position, and she ground her hips against his growing erection as she returned his kiss. His hands dropped from her lower back to cup her buttocks, squeezing hard into the soft flesh as she moved.  
Without warning she shot up into a sitting position, lifting her top and whipping it up and off. Dazed eyes met his and he knew she was fully aroused and ready.  
A small smirk curled at the corners of his mouth as his warm hands glided up over her hips and up to cup her breasts, the red bra straining to contain her. Her head fell back as his thumbs swept over both nipples, stimulating them into hardened peaks through the glossy fabric. She gyrated her hips on him, desperate for more.  
“You are so beautiful,” he whispered, in awe of the beauty before him. “I am so lucky to be with you.”  
Her head dropped forwards as she met his eyes, which held a look similar to one who was intoxicated. “I love you so much,” she whispered.  
He smiled, trailing his fingertips along the top of her bra. “I really like this, I adore the colour,” he told her. “But it would look much better on the floor.”  
In a heartbeat he had it undone, and tossed it haphazardly to one side. His hands replaced the garment, kneading and squeezing the mounds of flesh. She arched closer to him, her insides tightening at the sensation of his hands on her. Her nipples were rock hard and sensitive, crying out for more.  
He grasped her shoulders and pulled her down towards him, his mouth closing over her left nipple as he had found it to be slightly more sensitive. She moaned deeply, closing her eyes and forcing air into her lungs as his tongue swept over the hard point repeatedly before he began a sucking motion.  
“Holy fuck,” she groaned, her hips still moving against him.  
He took his time, worshipping her and teasing her until she thought she would burst with sexual frustration. Grabbing fistfuls of the t-shirt he wore, she hauled and tugged at it in an effort to remove it.  
“All you have to do is ask,” he whispered, slowly releasing her breast. He lifted his upper body slightly and she instantly tore the garment up, freeing his chest for her exploration. The t-shirt landed somewhere; she didn’t know where and didn’t care. Her hands ran over his shoulders and down his arms, back up again and down over his chest and stomach.  
“You have something I want,” she said softly, sliding back a little and undoing the button on his jeans. “And I need to have it.” The zip lowered, albeit awkwardly with the bulge behind it. He lifted his hips as she pulled the denims and his underwear down, a gasp leaving her lips as he sprang free.  
She glanced up at him, sinking her teeth into her lower lip as her hand closed around him. His eyes closed and his head fell back, her grip tightening as she began to work him up and down slowly. His hips lifted slightly, encouraging her to keep going, and he gasped as he felt her mouth close over him.  
Clenching the quilt he lay on, he fought to keep from bucking hard, knowing she wanted to play this her way, and at her pace. He concentrated on what she was doing to him, her warm wet tongue swirling around his tip and then taking him back until he touched the back of her throat. Pulling up slightly, she licked around the crease of his foreskin before flicking across the tip and tasting the salty pre-cum that was leaking from him. Her hand continued to move up and down, flexing and tightening around him and she took him back in her mouth again, sighing in contentment as her other hand slid under his sac and squeezed gently.  
His legs moved restlessly under her as she pleasured him, his hips rolling every time she took him deep. The need to orgasm was strong, the sparks of pleasure hurtling down to his groin with gathering speed. He moaned deeply as she rolled his sac against her palm, her fingers teasing the soft skin at the base.  
“Baby, I can’t take any more,” he panted, struggling to lift his head from the pillow. “I need you…now.” Gripping her upper arms, he jerked her up his body, crushing his mouth to hers and deftly flipping her over. Frantic movements freed her from her jeans and her underpants, and he settled against her with a sigh, hurrying to be inside her. “I cannot wait any longer, my love,” he whispered, pushing his hips forwards.  
She cried out in pleasure as her soft flesh accepted his swollen member, clenching around him and drawing him deeper and deeper. His hands slid under her shoulders as he started to move, plunging hard and deep as the waves of lust crashed through his system. She moved with him, gripping his hair and crushing her mouth against his. Each thrust home made her whimper, each circle of his hips made her moan. His breathing turned to rapid pants and groans, his hips pounding faster and harder into the soft, wet core that welcomed him eagerly.  
They rolled over again, without breaking their kiss, and she took control of the depth and speed. She lifted herself slowly, waited for a few seconds, and then lowered back down, clenching around him in the process.  
“Oh my God, not this time baby, I can’t do that this time,” he panted, flipping her back over. “No teasing…I need to come hard.”  
She grinned, knowing she’d gained the upper hand and teased him to the point where he couldn’t control his body. Her legs locked tightly around his waist, her arms around his back. “Fuck me,” she whispered, biting the soft flesh under his ear.  
He moaned a long, deep moan at her words, squeezing his eyes closed as he continued to thrust into her.  
She sucked hard on the soft flesh below his ear, a move designed to drive him further out of his mind, but instead it drove her wild instead. The strong muscles of his back tensed under her feet, and his body started to tremble.  
“Fuck…I’m coming,” he gasped, grimacing as he fought to hold off on his orgasm. She smiled, knowing hers was just at the edge of her fingertips, and tightened her legs around him even more. “I can’t hold on, baby…oh fuck...!” He shuddered violently as he climaxed, his hot fluid spurting deep as he pulsated inside her, and her body erupted as she reached her peak.  
Collapsing his weight on top of her, he panted hard, pushing his hair away from his face. “That was a close call,” he gasped. “I’ve never come before you.”  
She grinned as she breathed hard, running her hands up and down his shoulders and back. “It doesn’t make any difference,” she said. “Females can enjoy sex without climaxing.”  
He lifted his head from her shoulder and gazed at her. “You will always climax,” he said. “There is no question of it.” His ice blue eyes bored into hers, making her quiver inside.  
“Yet again, how you managed to stay single all these years is beyond me,” she said. “But it’s worked in my favour – I get to be with you.” She ended on a smile, which he returned.  
“Maybe I have been waiting for you all my life,” he said. He braced his weight on one elbow and reached over, picking up a strawberry and feeding it into her mouth. She murmered in pleasure at the sweet taste, and he automatically flexed inside her.  
“I need to move,” he grumbled, slowly pulling out and shifting his weight. “Would you like a coffee?”  
She shook her head as she chewed. “No thanks. I’ll get up in a minute and grab a can of coke, when I can be bothered moving.”  
“I shall bring you one,” he said softly, dropping a kiss on her mouth as he stood. His long hair brushed over her upper body, bringing the sparks back to life within her. She lifted her hands and held his head in place, drawing out the kiss.  
“I love you,” she whispered, gazing deep into his eyes. “More than I thought I could ever love anybody, and it scares the fucking crap out of me.”  
“Do not be scared of what you feel,” he said tenderly, tucking her hair behind her ear. “This has knocked me completely off my feet sweetheart, and I decided after a while of being afraid that I would just sit back and enjoy it.”  
“Wise words,” she acknowledged. “I’m just scared that…” She trailed off.  
“Scared of what?” he asked with a frown, lowering his weight onto the side of the bed. “Talk to me, my love.”  
“That it’s not going to last,” she admitted. “That something is going to happen to destroy what we have, what we feel. It’s almost like it’s too good to be true, d’you know what I mean?”  
“I do, and I understand it, but do not waste your energy thinking about it,” he advised her. “If you think in a negative way, you will attract negative energy. Remain positive. Nothing is going to destroy us or what we have or feel; trust me.”  
With that, he pressed his mouth against hers for a kiss, then stood and padded through to the kitchen.  
She lay back against the pillow and stared at the ceiling, hoping he was right.


	18. An Admission

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

 

The weeks flew past.  
Indigo’s slowly started to resemble its former glory, with teams of contractors, builders, decorators, and their own staff working twelve hour days and sometimes longer. Thranduil watched over every move like a hawk, not missing and hitting the wall when something didn’t meet his standards.  
Amay observed how he handled things, thinking he was definitely a born leader and boss. She wasn’t surprised his company back in the UK was successful; if he put half the energy into that as he did with the club, then he had to be at the top of his league.  
“Amethyst, we have an appointment,” he announced during a morning of utter chaos. The restrooms were in the process of being refurbished, and everything that could have gone wrong had gone wrong.  
“An appointment? Where? With who?” she asked. “I can’t leave like this babe, it’s a fucking disaster.”  
A resounding smash echoed around the corridor, as if to back up her words.  
“Holy shit!” she yelled, barging into the restroom. “Do you need a goddamned hammer?”  
Mumbled apologies drifted out of the open doorway, making him smile to himself. His woman was a fireball when things weren’t going her way.  
“If I wanted a demolition team, I’d have called one in!” she ranted. “Jesus Christ on a bike, clear this shit up and keep moving.” The door slammed hard as she exited the work area. “Reprobates!”  
Thranduil tried hard to hide his grin of amusement, taking her hand in his and leading her towards the exit. “Ray, we shall be back in a couple of hours,” he called, passing him.  
“No problem, boss,” he shouted back cheerfully.  
“Where are we going?” Amay asked curiously.  
He smiled enigmatically, helping her into the car. “It’s a secret,” he replied.  
She frowned. “I get it. Game time,” she muttered. She fastened her seatbelt and leaned her elbow on the window frame.  
“You will enjoy this game,” he told her as he got in and secured himself, before starting the car. “I promise, you will.”  
She grunted, saying nothing. He guided the vehicle out of the parking lot and onto the open road, taking a left turn and putting his foot down. The city flew past, and they turned towards more rural areas.  
“So are you going to tell me what you’re up to?” she asked, snapping back the ring-pull on a can of coke. “Or are you still keeping it a secret?”  
“I like to surprise you, keep you in suspense,” he replied, glancing at her. “It’s fun.”  
She snorted, almost bringing her mouthful of soda down her nose. “For you, maybe.”  
He smiled again, reaching across for her can and taking a drink. “I like to play with you, in more ways than one,” he said as he handed it back.  
“Pervert,” she laughed, and turned to look out of the window again.  
After a while, he pulled the car to a stop outside a property surrounded by a high wall, with wrought-iron gates.  
“Who lives here?” she asked.  
He shrugged, getting out of the car and circling to open her door. She took his offered hand and climbed out, her curiosity running amok. He locked the car and swiped an electronic card into a reader mounted on the wall.  
The gates silently opened.  
He led her in through them, swinging their joined hands between them as they slowly walked along the curved driveway which seemed to go on forever.  
Amay stopped and gasped as a large house loomed into view, surrounded by trees. “Wow,” she said.  
He grinned, urging her onwards.  
Her eyes were everywhere, absorbing every detail as they approached the house. Thranduil produced a key as they neared the door, unlocking it and pushing it open, and led her inside.  
The entrance hall had a white marble floor set with a black pattern, with white pillars which rose up to a high, moulded ceiling. A stained glass window sat at the far end, lighting up the faraway marble with a blaze of colour.  
She turned questioning eyes to him.  
Remaining silent, he led her down the hallway and into a comfortable lounge. Although quite large, the design ensured it had a relaxing air to it, with floor-to-ceiling windows along one side. Again, the ceilings were high and intricately carved with branches and leaves which wound their way right around the room.  
Thranduil stood for a few minutes, letting her take everything in, before taking her through to a kitchen. The floor consisted of glossy black tiles, with shining white units which covered two of the walls. A third wall was again huge windows, which served as doors and opened out onto a tiled patio area. A collection of large planters filled with masses of different flowers and plants created a rainbow of colour.  
Leading her up the wide, curved staircase, he took her into four bedrooms, each one better and more grand than the previous.  
Finally, the bathroom.  
Amay covered her mouth with her free hand, her eyes huge. Two steps in the centre of the room led up to a large circular bath, which had been sunk in so that the top was level with the flooring. A counter top ran across two walls facing each other, one with wash basins sunk in, and the other with cupboards. The faraway wall held a large shower enclosure, with frosted glass and mirrors everywhere.  
The whole time he had said nothing, and she had fallen silent in awe as she took in her surroundings. His fingers flexed around hers as he turned and led her silently back downstairs, where they went out a side door and found themselves facing a wooded area where the trees started from about twenty metres from them.  
He turned to her, inhaling deeply through his nose.  
“Are you going to let me in on whatever this is?” she asked.  
“I wanted your opinion,” he stated.  
“On? It’s a gorgeous house, but who lives here?”  
His eyes gazed deeply into hers. “We do.”  
Her mouth opened in shock. “What??”  
He shrugged, turning to look at the trees and taking a deep breath. “The sale went through for the house in Britain,” he told her.  
Her mind was turning cartwheels and running around like an unbroken horse trying to throw its rider. “But…I thought…how…”  
He turned back to her, taking both her hands in his and staring at them for a few seconds. “I’ve bought this house,” he said quietly. “The paperwork was finalised this morning.”  
She fought her way through a million questions that were whizzing around in her head. “Thranduil, this house must be in the seven-figure mark,” she said.  
He nodded. “Yes.”  
“Did you rob a bank?!”  
A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. “Not quite.” He sighed, dropping her hands and running his through his hair, something he only did when he was stressed or anxious. “Amethyst, I promised never to lie to you, and never to hold anything back from you, but there is one thing I did hold back.”  
A sick feeling clawed at her stomach. “Oh no,” she whispered.  
“Please hear me out,” he said. “The only reasons I keep my company going is to give me something to focus on, and for Bard. I made a fortune as I built the company, plus my parents were financially secure, as was Sam. Even I was surprised at how much money Sam had amassed in his life.”  
“What are you telling me?” she asked, swallowing. “You’re scaring me.”  
He looked up at the sky for a second, as though looking for guidance and strength. “I have no need to work. I do it for something to do, something to fill my days with.”  
She chewed the inside of her mouth as she contemplated his answer.  
“I felt that if I told you when we started dating how much I was worth, you would’ve freaked out,” he said. “And when we got back together after that horrible break-up, I didn’t have what it took to tell you. I was terrified you would leave me again.”  
Tears burned her eyes, as she once again saw his vulnerable side. “I don’t like us keeping things from each other,” she said softly. “Although maybe it’s a good thing you didn’t tell me that you’re rich, because I would’ve felt lower than you or something whenever we went out…I know what I’m trying to say, but it’s not making sense when I say it.”  
He took her hands again, pulling her to sit next to him on the lush green grass. “What I said about women wanting to sleep with me because I’m the boss is partly true,” he said. “Those who knew I am wealthy thought they would have a golden ticket if I took them to bed, and those who didn’t thought they would have a job if I took them to bed. I wasn’t interested in any of them, so I kept myself to myself.”  
She fixed her gaze on something over his shoulder as she turned his words over in her head. “So on a scale of one to ten, ten being worth millions…” she said, trailing off.  
His eyes held hers. “About a fifteen,” he replied.  
Her mouth gaped in shock. “You’re pulling my leg,” she said.  
He shook his head. “I’m not.”  
“Christ,” she muttered, pulling her hands away and resting them on her lap. “I’m not even on the scale at all.”  
“Can you understand why I was reluctant to bring it up?” he asked softly, almost dreading her answer.  
“Yes, in a way,” she replied. “But this changes things, Thranduil, I…fuck.” She shook her head as she ran out of words.  
He took her hands again. “Nothing has to change,” he whispered. “It does not change how I feel about you, or wanting to spend the rest of my life with you, grow old with you. Money has no bearing on what we have between us baby, none whatsoever.”  
“It shouldn’t, but it feels like it does,” she said. Her emotions were mixed and confused. She wasn’t angry that he had kept his wealth from her, but she had a horrible feeling of not being worthy now he had told her.  
“I know exactly what is going through your mind,” he said, turning her chin so she would meet his eyes. “And I will tell you now – it is utter nonsense.”  
“Put yourself in my position,” she told him. “I work every hour going to make ends meet, I live in a shitty rented apartment, I budget from one month to the next. How does that look from your viewpoint? I’m like a hobo in comparison.”  
He started to laugh at her choice of words, encouraging her to smile in response. “It does not,” he said. “You have a really odd outlook on things! Amethyst, I fell in love with _you _, not what you are or aren’t worth financially. That aspect does not matter. Your heart is more valuable than anything on this planet, and you need to see that, to understand that. No amount of money in the world could buy what we have between us.”__  
She held his gaze, and he wondered what was going through her mind. Waiting patiently, he continued to hold her hands, just watching her.  
“I want a pre-nup,” she said eventually.  
His eyes widened in shock. “What? No!” he exclaimed. “Amethyst, what has got into you? Why on earth would you need a pre-nup?”  
“I don’t; you do,” she answered.  
“I do not,” he huffed.  
“Yes you do,” she insisted. “You have to protect what is yours.”  
His eyebrows came down in an angry frown. “From who? You? Are you telling me you’ve agreed to be my wife, but you do not expect the marriage to last?”  
“No, I…I just want you to protect what belongs to you,” she said. “Just in case.”  
He stared at her for a few moments, the anger clear in the ice blue of his eyes. Finally he stood. “We need to get back,” he said coldly, turning from her and walking across the grass.  
She leapt up and followed him, desperate to soothe the troubled waters between them. “Thranduil, wait,” she said, approaching his back.  
He swung himself into the car, pressing a remote control to close the gates as she exited the grounds. She sighed to herself – this was the first time ever that he hadn’t opened her door for her.  
He was seriously pissed off.  
The drive back to Indigo’s was quiet, the atmosphere tense inside the vehicle.  
“I have some things to take care of,” he said as he pulled up outside. He didn’t look at her as he spoke.  
“Fine,” she snapped, getting out and slamming the door. The car took off with a screech of tyres, leaving her wondering what the hell she could do to fix the problem. Shoulders sagging, she turned and went into the nightclub.


	19. Amay's Own Secret

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Amay ran a hand through her hair, taking a long swig from her wine glass. It was her fourth, and she was really starting to feel the effects. Glancing at the clock, the display read ten past one in the morning. The city was covered in darkness, the air silent, and not a thing moved.  
Thranduil hadn’t come home.  
He hadn’t returned to Indigo’s, and hadn’t picked her up at the end of the day. She’d asked Ray to drop her off, with the excuse that he was busy and wouldn’t be able to pick her up.  
If he suspected anything, he hadn’t let on.  
Both the landline and her cell phone had remained ominously silent, and she was trying not to worry. He needed time to cool off, as did she. She was angry because he refused to listen to her logic, whereas he was angry that she was even thinking that way.  
Heaving what must have been her thirtieth or fortieth sigh of the evening, she rose from the couch and padded over to the door, peeking through the spy hole. The hallway stretched out before her, empty.  
A thought occurred to her tipsy mind – what if something had happened to him? A feeling of dread slowly seeped through her, and she leaned back against the doorframe as she contemplated where he could be.  
He was a big guy, and had quite an intimidating look when he wanted, so surely he wouldn’t have been involved in any fights. He was a good driver, so that ruled out a car accident, unless someone else had been driving dangerously.  
Her imagination was running away with her.  
She pushed herself away from the door, swigging from the almost-empty glass as she went back over to the couch and lifted the remote control for the tv. Switching channels, she found herself on a music one.  
“ _It’s a quarter after one, I’m a little drunk and I need you now. I said I wouldn’t call, but I’ve lost all control, and I need you now _.”__  
Amay tossed the remote aside, grabbing her phone. That song hadn’t been playing at that particular point in time for no reason. Dialling through to his cell, she waited, breathing heavily as she waited to be connected.  
It rang out.  
And continued to ring out.  
It went to voicemail.  
She wailed in frustration, instantly redialling, and pouring another glass of wine as she listened to it ringing.  
It connected.  
“Thranduil?” she gasped, slamming the bottle down. Her heartbeat thudded in her ears.  
“I’m here,” he said eventually.  
She swallowed, feeling the threat of tears. “Are you ok?” she asked hesitantly.  
“I’m fine,” he replied.  
Silence.  
“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I need you.”  
A few moments ticked past, and she heard a resounding click as the line went dead. Dragging air into her lungs, her tears started to fall, and she curled up on the couch, her wine forgotten about. She honestly hadn’t meant to anger him with her suggestion, but obviously she had. It made perfect sense to her that anyone entering a marriage with that kind of fortune at their back should protect it in some way, given the low rate of successful marriages in this day and age. She had no plans to walk away from him, but maybe through time he would find a reason to walk away from her.  
She folded her arms over her stomach, her anguish flowing as freely as her tears. Their relationship seemed so complicated at times, yet they had managed so far. But she couldn’t help but think that maybe she’d pissed him off once too often.  
She lifted her head as she heard a soft click of the door closing, and saw Thranduil approach her, a heartbroken look in his eyes. She flew up from the couch, throwing her arms around him as he swept her into his embrace and buried his face in her hair.  
“I thought something had happened to you,” she cried. “I didn’t mean to make you mad babe, I love you more than anything-“  
He pulled back and crushed his mouth against hers, cutting off her panicked flow. Both hands entangled themselves in her hair as he pulled at the band holding her long tresses into a tail, freeing her hair to his touch. She clung to him, still crying as she returned his kiss.  
Lifting himself away from her slightly, he dragged his thumbs across her cheeks to dispel her tears, fighting with his own emotions. “I shouldn’t have taken off like that,” he whispered. “I’m sorry. I did not mean for you to worry.”  
“I do worry,” she whispered. “You’ve never not come to pick me up, never not come home.”  
His head lowered as he nodded slightly. “I was wrong,” he said. “I just needed time to myself, to think things over, that’s all.”  
Fear shot through her. “And?” she pushed.  
A small smile pulled at one corner of his mouth. “And what? I’ve cooled off. I’m not mad anymore.”  
Deep blue eyes gazed tearfully into his. “Where were you?”  
“I drove around for a while,” he answered. “I’ve been sitting in the diner over the street for the last three and a half hours.”  
“Oh babe,” she murmered, pulling him into a tight hug. “I wish you had come home.”  
“I would have, eventually,” he said, running his hands up and down her back. “Once I got my stubborn pride under control. I suppose I can be as headstrong as you, in my own way.”  
She turned her head so her face was pressed against the warm flesh of his neck. “I’ve had a lil’ too much to drink, I think,” she said quietly.  
A soft rumble of laughter vibrated up through his chest. “Yes, I know,” he said. “And that’s ok. It’s not the end of the world, you’ll just be a bit groggy in the morning.”  
The alcohol was kicking into her system with a vengeance, and she felt like she’d had double the amount of wine. “Are you going to stay here tonight?” she asked, tipping her head back to look up at him.  
He frowned in confusion. “Why would I not?” he asked. “Of course I’m staying here, you crazy woman.” His eyes turned thoughtful. “I think you need to get into bed, sleep this off.”  
“I’m fine,” she replied.  
“No, you are not,” he corrected her. “You seldom drink, sweetheart, and when you do, it doesn’t take much to get you drunk.”  
“Am not drunk, just a wee bit tipsy,” she informed him, and received a raised eyebrow in reply.  
“How much am I worth, if you’re not that drunk?” he asked.  
“Fifteen million,” she said immediately. “You said fifteen.”  
He shook his head, trying not to smile. “I said on a scale of one to ten, I was about a fifteen,” he told her. “I never actually gave you a value.”  
“You tricked me…that was a trick question,” she slurred accusingly.  
He grinned. “Yes, and you failed miserably, my love. Come on, bed.”  
“I don’t wanna let you go,” she murmered, and his heart softened at the look in her eyes.  
“You are a menace,” he laughed, and swung her up into his arms, carrying her through to the bedroom and laying her on the bed. She watched him quietly as he took her clothes off, every now and again his eyes meeting hers. Once he had completed the task, he rolled her so he could pull the quilt back, then rolled her back again, pulling it over her. “I’ll switch the tv off, and be right back,” he said, stripping out of his own clothing.  
He went through to the lounge, did as he’d said, and went back to the bedroom, where he stopped at the side of the bed, biting his lip to contain his laughter.  
In the few seconds it had taken him, she’d swiped his t-shirt, put it on, and had collapsed against the pillows, out for the count.  
He went around to the other side of the bed, deciding it was easier than trying to move her, and climbed in beside her. Wrapping his arm around her, he kissed her cheek and her neck before snuggling down at her back.  
“I love you,” he whispered, and she murmered softly in response.  
Thinking to himself that she was hard work sometimes but definitely worth it, he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.  
*****  
He awoke the next morning alone.  
Frowning as he rolled over, he grabbed his robe and shrugged it over his shoulders, rising from the bed and padding through to the lounge.  
Amay sat on the window ledge, gazing out across the city.  
“Something troubles you,” he said, slowly approaching her. “You only ever sit up there if something is wrong.”  
She turned her eyes to his, and he detected fear in the blue depths.  
“What’s wrong?” he asked, stopping before her and taking her hand in his. The other she used to cradle a cup of half-finished coffee.  
“This whole thing of keeping things from each other, and the promise we made that we never would,” she answered.  
He frowned. “What about it? I have nothing hidden anymore, you know everything.”  
She pursed her mouth. “There’s something I haven’t told you,” she said softly as she withdrew her hand.  
Fear sliced through his heart. “Can you tell me now?” he asked.  
“There would never be a good time for this,” she said, lowering her head and gazing into her cup.  
He lowered his weight onto the arm of the couch so he was almost level with her, never taking his eyes from her, waiting.  
“There’s a massive chance I can’t have children,” she said, her words almost a whisper. Her eyes lifted to his.  
He could see the fear in them, the expectation of rejection.  
She could see the pain in his.  
“After what happened with my ex…he really did me over…the surgeons told me it would be a miracle if I could ever fall pregnant again,” she said.  
Thranduil swallowed, his mind going in every direction. Reaching over, he grasped her hand again, pulling it over onto his lap. “And you think I’ll turn away from you because of this.” It was a statement, not a question.  
She hesitated, then nodded slowly. “Yes. I should have told you long before now, but at what point in a relationship do you drop a bombshell like that? If I’d said it too soon, you’d have run a mile thinking I was expecting something long-term. If I left it until we were solid as a couple, it was too late.”  
He nodded, gazing intently at their joined hands. “I understand that,” he admitted. “It isn’t an easy subject to bring up. But it’s out in the open now, sweetheart, so don’t worry about it anymore.”  
She frowned in confusion. “You’re not bothered?”  
One shoulder lifted in a half-hearted shrug. “Of course I would like to have babies with you,” he told her. “But I’d rather be with you and have no more children, than to be apart from you and have babies with someone else. The important thing is you, not whether or not you can bear children.” He smiled gently.  
She closed her eyes, a deep sigh leaving her, and he felt the tension drain out of her body. “You have no idea how much that’s weighed on my mind,” she whispered. “Maybe I should have told you when you asked me to marry you, but I was so caught up in the moment, I didn’t think about that aspect of the future. And if it had erupted into a fight, it would’ve spoiled your proposal.” Her eyes opened again and she looked at him. “I didn’t want that.”  
He rose to his feet, wrapping his arms around her and leaning his chin on top of her head. “It’s not really that big a deal,” he murmered. “We love each other, we will have an amazing life together. A child would be the icing on the cake, but it is not a necessity. Your happiness is.”  
“And yours,” she mumbled into his chest. “This isn’t all about me.”  
He smiled. “For me, yes it is,” he told her. “I did actually wonder a while ago why the subject of birth control never came up, and let’s be honest – we’ve fucked like rabbits since we started seeing each other.”  
She started to laugh against him as a jolt of electricity surged between her legs at his choice of words. “I’m sorry,” she said, lifting her head and gazing up at him. “I should have said something way before now.”  
He ran the fingers of one hand through her hair, his eyes tracking his movements as the soft tresses slid between his fingers. “It does not matter,” he told her. “Stop feeling bad.”  
She tightened her hold on him. “Can I have a kiss?”  
He smiled, lowering his head. “Of course, my darling,” he whispered as his lips brushed hers. “Any time, any place.”  
*****  
“I think we should have the keys to the house within the week,” Thranduil commented, tossing his phone onto the kitchen worktop. “Are you excited?”  
“Yes,” she grinned. “A bit scared, but excited.”  
“Why scared?” he asked with a confused frown.  
“I don’t know,” she answered with a shrug. “It’s a whole new adventure, and let’s be honest…it’s not something you’ve tossed just a few dollars at.”  
He smirked. “And so the topic of money raises its head again,” he observed. He lifted his coffee and joined her on the couch. “Ask me.”  
“Ask you what?”  
“How much I’m worth.”  
She grunted. “I don’t think I want to know.”  
He laughed heartily. “Yes you do. You just do not want to come out with the question.”  
She didn’t respond, taking a drink of her coffee instead.  
“At the last count, between property, investments, my company, my bank account…twenty seven million,” he said.  
She spluttered, choking on her coffee as she spat it halfway across the room.  
Thranduil slapped her back as she coughed, shaking his head as he tried not to smile. “Calm down woman, breathe through your nose,” he said.  
Her face was red with the effort of trying to breathe. “Are you kidding me?!” she demanded, turning to face him.  
He slowly shook his head. “No.”  
“Jesus fucking Christ,” she said, her heart hammering with exertion. “Thranduil, we _need _a prenuptial agreement.”__  
“No, we do _not _,” he retorted, anger in his tone. “We went over this yesterday Amethyst, and I said no. Under no circumstances will I even contemplate the ridiculous idea. Get it out of your head, it’s not going to happen.” He withdrew his hand from her back, a stony look on his face.__  
“Fuck, I’ve pissed you off again,” she murmered.  
“Yes, because you will not let it drop,” he snapped. “If you had half the faith in yourself that I have in you, you would not even be thinking such nonsense. There will be no pre-nup, and I do not wish to discuss it anymore.”  
She sat quietly for a moment, before putting her cup down and sliding over the couch so she was at his side. “I’m sorry,” she whispered, leaning her head against his chest. “I don’t want to fight. I love you too much.”  
He exhaled through his nose as he slid his arm around her shoulders and dropped a kiss onto her hair. “I love you too. But it’s still not up for discussion, do you understand? Let it go.”  
“Ok,” she agreed, her tone soft. She closed her eyes, listening to the thump-thump of his heart. “I hate it when we fight and argue.”  
“Me too,” he whispered as he rested his cheek on top of her head. “I think we have done our fair share for a while.”  
She could hear the smile in his voice, and slid her arm over his stomach. “More than our fair share. There’s a thought,” she said suddenly, jumping back a little. “Does your mother and your son know about me?”  
“Of course,” he replied. “They knew about you before we started seeing one another. Why do you ask?” He took a drink from his cup, watching her.  
She opened her mouth, but closed it again.  
“You’re worried they will think you’re after my money,” he stated. “Well they do not. They have been following this relationship since the beginning, and both are dying to meet you. Stop placing obstacles everywhere, my love.”  
“They want to meet me?” she squeaked.  
“Of course!” he laughed. “You’re marrying into my family, you are a part of me, why would they not want to meet you? Good grief Amethyst, you have a really low opinion of yourself.”  
“I do not,” she grumbled.  
“Yes, you do.”  
“Oh stop it,” she sulked. “Now I’m nervous.”  
“There is no need to be,” he said, rubbing his thumb along the back of her hand which had been dislodged from his stomach as she’d jerked back. “They are amazing people. Remember, they are also part of me. And you fell in love with me, so I can’t be all that bad, so neither can they.”  
She smiled at his logic.  
“We will meet with them the next time I can arrange it,” he said. “Does that sound alright?”  
She nodded. “Yes, I suppose so,” she said. “Just don’t leave me alone or anything.”  
He chuckled. “When have I ever done that? Apart from yesterday,” he added as an afterthought.  
She waved his comment away. “That doesn’t count,” she said. “No, I mean please don’t introduce me then bugger off somewhere to do business stuff or anything.”  
“I only do that at the club because you are surrounded with your friends,” he told her. “Otherwise I would not leave your side. Another throwback to the past?”  
She raised her eyebrows in silent agreement. “Are we going to work today?”  
He glanced at the clock. “If you want,” he replied. “Why don’t you have a shower and get dressed, and I’ll make breakfast? That way, we can be out of here within an hour, and not be too far behind everybody else.”  
“Sounds good to me,” she said, leaning over for a kiss before jumping up. “Eggs sunny side up!”  
He grinned as he watched her bound out of sight.


	20. Experimenting

CHAPTER TWENTY

Amay glanced over at Thranduil, her eyebrows coming down in a concerned frown. He looked exhausted and stressed. She sat her bottle of coke on the floor, getting up and crossing the floor towards him.  
“Hi,” she said, sliding her arms around him from behind, and leaning her cheek against his back. “Are you alright?”  
“Hmm,” he murmered. “This place is enough to drag anyone down. I’m ok.” He turned in her arms, placing his forearms on her shoulders.  
“Kiss,” she demanded, and lifted her mouth to his. A sigh of pleasure left her at the touch of him. “What’s getting you down?”  
“Urgh. All the carnage,” he replied, standing back to his full height and running a hand through his hair before returning his arm to her shoulder. “I say one thing, the contractors say another. I say one thing, the insurance company say another. The place seems no different to what it was a week ago, it’s still a mess. I’m just frustrated, that’s all. Nothing for you to worry about.”  
“Shite,” she retorted. “It’s a building site babe, and it’s going to take a long time to bring it back to any half-decent standard. These companies are designed to run riot and argue at every turn, so forget about them, they’re assholes. And I do worry about you, it’s my job.”  
A sudden laugh rippled through him. “Oh my God, where would I be without you?” he mused.  
“Living a quiet life,” she replied dryly.  
“Living a lonely life,” he corrected her. “I’ve had enough in here for a while. I suggest we close up for a while, take a few days off, and start afresh next week.”  
“Why are you putting that across like you’re asking me?” she questioned.  
“Because I am,” he replied. “You own half the club, therefore you need to have a say in any decisions.”  
“Nonsense,” she muttered. “Let’s do it, take a few days away from here. I’ll go and tell our lot, and you can tell the builders to bugger off.” She stood up on her toes to steal a quick kiss, before turning and taking off in search of her team.  
Within a short space of time, everybody had vacated the building and were headed off back to their lives for a while.  
“You’re stressing over Indigo’s more than you’re telling me,” she observed a while later, booting the car so they made it through the lights before they changed. “What’s the matter?”  
Beside her, Thranduil frowned. “Nothing, sweetheart. I’m just not used to running this kind of business, that’s all. I’m really relying on you to guide me through everything. I told Sam over and over that I don’t know the first thing about the nightclub business, but he was adamant you would be there to help.”  
She smiled, shifting gears. “And he was right,” she said, glancing at him briefly. “I’ll always be there, always. I don’t know anywhere else I’d rather be.”  
“You’re very dedicated,” he said.  
“Mmm. I love the whole world that clubbing brings,” she replied. “The music, the people, the atmosphere. I’ve told you this before.”  
“Didn’t you find it a massive difference from nursing care?” he asked curiously.  
“Polar opposites,” she answered immediately. “But that was what I needed at the time. I spent years with dying patients, I needed to set myself free, in a weird kind of way. And I had to cut every tie that connected me to my past. I knew when I started working for Sam that I’d made the right decision.”  
Thranduil fell silent beside her for a few minutes. “He used to call me every Monday night,” he said quietly. “I still expect him to.”  
“I know babe, it’s hard without him,” she said. She reached over and grasped his hand in hers, giving it a reassuring squeeze before replacing it on the steering wheel. “He’s still with us though, I can feel him. He’s keeping an eye on us.”  
He smiled. “That sounds nice, but I don’t know if I believe in that.”  
“I do,” she said. “I’ve seen too much, felt too much. But that’s just me.” She grinned over at him. “Hungry?”  
“Starving,” he answered.  
“Good. So am I.”  
They pulled into a diner and spent a relaxing couple of hours there, just talking, eating, and enjoying being with each other.  
*****   
“I have absolutely _zero _idea how I came to amass so much crap,” Amay muttered. She tossed a dog-eared book over one shoulder, and it hit the carpet with a thump. “And where that came from, I don’t know. I don’t even like the author’s work.”__  
Thranduil stooped and retrieved the book, frowning at the cover. “I have read this,” he said. “It’s a bit gory.”  
“Heave it then,” she replied, tossing another one.  
“Hey!” he laughed, ducking aside. “You are getting too accurate with your missiles.”  
She grinned, emptying a large holdall of books onto the floor between her legs. “Half of these should’ve been put in the thrift store years ago,” she said.   
He lifted another book, an amused look on his face. “Seriously?”  
She grunted. “Everybody was ranting and raving about that when it came out,” she said. “I had to get it and see what all the hoo-hah was about.”  
“And?” One eyebrow lifted in question.  
She snorted. “Utter shite. Cover-to-cover sex, but weird sex, not normal fucking. Just weird, twisted stuff.”  
He laughed heartily, tossing the book onto the growing pile on the floor behind her, and lowering himself to his knees before her. “And what is wrong with weird sex?”  
“That wasn’t just weird, babe…it was yuck,” she said dryly.  
“There’s nothing wrong with a little experimenting,” he murmered, closing the distance between them. Her eyes drifted closed as his warm mouth touched hers, and a soft sigh left her lips. The ends of his long hair brushed against her forearms, and she lifted her hands and entangled them in the lengths. He angled his head slightly, deepening the kiss and pushing his tongue into her mouth. She accepted with a sigh of pleasure, shifting her position on the floor so she could wriggle closer to him.  
His hands settled on her waist, the warmth burning her flesh exposed by the short pyjama top she wore. Her breathing changed as his hands moved slowly upwards, taking the garment with them. Lifting her arms and breaking the kiss, he pulled it off her, reclaiming her lips as he heaved it onto the floor. Warm hands slid up to her shoulder blades, pressing her upper body against his, his mouth devouring hers. Her head tipped back as he kissed his way along her jaw and down her neck, his strong teeth biting the soft skin. She trailed her hands up his arms and over his shoulders, breathing deeply and whimpering softly under his touch.  
“I think we could have fun with a little experimenting,” he whispered against her skin as he continued to bite and lick her.  
A grin tugged at her mouth, her bottom wriggling on the carpet to get even closer. “I’m all yours,” she replied.  
He lifted his head with a sensual smile, placing soft little kisses at the corner of her mouth. “Lie on the bed for me,” he whispered.  
Taking the hand he offered, she got to her feet and did as he suggested, stretching out on top of the quilt, wondering what he had in mind.  
He rooted through the bedside drawers, emerging with a silk tie. “I’ve been thinking about this for a long time,” he said, his velvet tone tantalising her senses as he gazed at her. Settling his weight on the bed beside her, he covered her eyes, tying it gently. “Can you see anything?”  
“No,” she answered.  
“Good,” he murmered as he dropped a kiss onto her mouth.  
She heard him rummage around again, and the bed shifted as he moved his weight. Strong hands grasped her wrists, lifting her arms over her head, and she felt a soft fabric binding them together against the rail of the headboard.  
“There is only one twist in this,” he whispered in her ear, sending shivers of anticipation down her spine. “If you feel uncomfortable at all, just pull, and it will untie.”  
She smiled, and waited. His weight shifted again, and she felt him tug at her pyjama bottoms, so she lifted her hips to help him.   
“Losing one sense is supposed to heighten your other senses,” he said softly, settling beside her on one elbow, and she realised he’d stripped off his clothing too.  
Something soft and light brushed over her forehead and down her nose, and she recognised it to be a rose from the smell. Her lips parted slightly as it touched her mouth, before lowering to trail down her neck at a slow and leisurely pace.  
Thranduil watched her, noticing the faint blush of arousal begin to colour her cheeks, the slight smile that hovered around her lips. He smirked as he played with the delicate flower, sweeping it across her chest to circle one nipple. Her back arched, and he passed the petals over the hardened peak, making her inhale sharply. His smirk intensified as he drew the flower over her other breast, copying the path around her nipple and then across it.  
She sighed in contentment, her smile widening.  
Leaning over her, his warm tongue licked across the upper swell of her breasts, gliding over her skin to the valley between them, and down to the undersides of them.   
Her hands fisted as she clenched and unclenched her fingers, waiting patiently. His tongue drew closer to her nipple, sweeping past it but not touching it. She drew in a deep breath, anticipation bubbling in her blood.   
A gasp left her as he finally licked his tongue across the nipple, sensations shooting through her abdomen and gathering between her legs. He did it again several times, then moved to her other breast, doing the same. His saliva cooled on her skin, heightening the sensitivity, and she cried out as his mouth closed over her nipple and sucked hard.   
“Oh my God, that feels so good,” she gasped, writhing on the bed.  
“Good,” he whispered as he turned to the neglected one. “That is what I want you to feel, sweetheart.”  
Her head rolled to one side as he kissed, licked and sucked, her feet shifting restlessly as she wanted more.  
Much more.  
She wanted everything, and she had the feeling he had only just started.  
Disappointment filled her as his mouth moved away, and she felt the rose once more caress her skin. It traced patterns on her torso, down to her waist, and over her hips. His mouth followed close behind, hot, wet kisses taking the same path.  
He smiled to himself as her hips moved, her body fidgeting as she waited for whatever he had planned for her. He had no doubt that if he parted her thighs and pushed into her, he would find her hot and wet for him already.  
But that wasn’t his plan.  
The rose drifted a curving path down her thigh and lower still to her knee and eventually her ankle, where he lifted her foot and teased the sole with the soft petals. Inhaling deeply, he brought the blossom back up the inside of her leg, in an unhurried journey of discovery, his warm mouth following.  
She pulled her lips in between her teeth, waiting for him to touch her where she needed it most, and almost cursed in frustration when he didn’t.  
A smirk graced his mouth as he sensed her tension, and he continued drawing the rose along her flesh, going down her other leg. He brought it back up, his warm hand slowly parting her thighs as he reached the top. His heart hammered in his chest, her pink centre clearly aroused and eager for him.   
With deliberate slow touches, he swept the flower over the neat triangle of hair and lower, brushing it across her sensitive organ and down over her wet folds. She gasped and arched slightly, biting her bottom lip as desire shot through her body. Her hips lifted fractionally, silently pleading for his touch.  
Ice blue eyes lifted and he gazed up at her, tied to the headboard and as turned on as hell. A pink blush covered her upper body, proof that she was aroused. He shifted his weight slightly, dipping his head between her spread thighs and sweeping his tongue once over her.  
A strangled cry sounded.  
Settling comfortably, he licked her again.  
She whimpered with need, pushing her hips against his mouth. His tongue twisted around her clitoris several times before dipping to enter her, and she let out a gurgled cry of desperation.   
“Fuck…yes,” he whispered, her sweet fluid gushing to meet his demanding probing. He withdrew his tongue and circled back up around her clit again, altering the pressure constantly.   
The soles of her bare feet gripped his sides, her toes flexing against the warm, hard flesh as she writhed before him. His long hair brushed against her legs and she felt dizzy with lust as he twisted his head to deepen his sensual kisses. Her hips moved with him, encouraging him as he took her higher and higher.  
“Oh fuck baby, you taste so fucking good,” he murmered. Increasing the pressure of his tongue, he dipped back inside her again, each time pulling back to rub over her sensitive organ. Every time he did it, she moaned and squirmed, curses and pleas leaving her in a stream of unintelligible nonsense.  
He held her open with his thumbs, her cries telling him that she needed release, and focused on bringing her to orgasm.  
Her moans and her begging increased as he concentrated on her throbbing clitoris, deep sighs of pleasure sounding from him as her frantic movements gained momentum.   
“Come for me, baby,” he whispered, feeling her thighs tremble around his shoulders. Her body jerked spasmodically, her hips undulating against his mouth, and her panting became louder and more laboured.  
“Don’t stop, don’t stop,” she cried. “Please baby, don’t stop!”  
Smiling against her hot, wet flesh, he gripped her hip with one hand as she exploded with a howl, pushing two fingers from his other inside her so she had something to clench around. Her body thrashed wildly, her screams echoing around the apartment as the waves of euphoria washed over her, her insides contracting with a steel grip around his fingers.  
Eventually he sat back on his knees, waiting for her body to settle, a self-satisfied smile on his mouth. As her gasping began to slow down, he gripped her legs and tugged her towards him, freeing her hands from the headboard in the process, and lifting her to sit astride him. Her arms immediately went around his neck, her mouth hungrily meeting his. His hands roamed over her back and shoulders, satisfying his own desperate need to touch and caress her.  
Her tongue surged into his mouth, demanding a response, which she got instantly. Her breasts heaved against his chest as she gasped, her nipples sensitive against the solid muscle of him.   
Strong hands gripped her hips and lifted her, and she whimpered as she felt his erection slowly intrude into her willing folds. He watched her in awe, fascinated by the look on her face as he lowered her onto him until she was impaled as far as she could go. Her mouth was open, her head tilted back slightly.  
Pressing urgent kisses down her neck, his breathing changed as she started to move on him, grinding her hips to take him deeper with each thrust. He sunk his teeth into her flesh, groaning coarsely as he throbbed and flexed inside her. Her hands gripped the back of his head as she held him tightly against her, lifting herself onto her knees and lowering again. Her core muscles gripped him hard, her fluid soaking his upper thighs.  
A moan sounded from her as he sucked hard on her neck, drawing her blood to the surface and marking her as his. He suddenly gripped her hips and lifted her off him, deftly turning her so she was on her knees with her back to him. He lifted her hands and placed them on the headboard as he lined himself up against her, the swell of her buttocks pressed firmly against his groin.  
“Fuck,” he hissed between clenched teeth as he entered her again. “Oh fuck…”  
She gripped the headboard as she pushed back against him, her quick, hard movements shattering his self-control. He leaned over her back, bracing one hand over both of hers as the other slid up her throat and tipped her head back. His mouth crashed down onto hers, his tongue demanding and greedy, twisting and duelling with hers as he rocked faster into her. She whimpered helplessly as she felt herself being propelled again towards orgasm, shocked that her body could still respond after what he had already done to her. Her knees threatened to give way under her with the force of his thrusts, and almost as if he sensed this, he moved his hand from her throat to slide across her abdomen, supporting her.   
“Oh my God, I’m coming again,” she cried, tearing her mouth from his. “Oh my God…Thranduil!!”  
“Let go, baby,” he gasped in her ear, fucking her harder and deeper.   
She threw her head back against his shoulder and screamed as another climax ripped through her body and tore at whatever was left of her soul. His grip around her tightened to hold her steady, and with a few more hard thrusts, he roared in ecstasy as he fired everything he had into her clenching depths.  
Her knees gave way and she collapsed onto her stomach with him lowering himself down with her, still joined. He wrapped his arms around her and rolled them both onto their sides, panting for breath. The room seemed to spin around him as he struggled to find his bearings.  
Eventually he lifted a hand and gently tugged his tie from her eyes, dropping it onto the bed somewhere. Pressing kisses down the side of her neck, he smiled. “Well?”  
She smiled, her eyes still closed. “I think I died,” she replied.  
He laughed, tightening his arms around her. “I love you so much, my darling,” he whispered.  
“I love you too,” she said, running her hand up and down his arm. “My God, I don’t think I’ll be able to move ever again.”  
She felt his chuckle rumble up through his chest pressed against her back.  
“You will, although maybe not for a few months,” he teased. He slowly pulled out from the welcome sanctuary of her body, lifting himself up onto one elbow. “You were amazing,” he said softly.  
She turned her head and gazed up at him. “I didn’t do anything,” she pointed out.  
He smiled, playing with her hair and tucking it behind her ear. “You were you,” he whispered. “That’s all I need.”  
He could read the emotions that flickered across her eyes; love, trust, devotion. Leaning down, he touched his lips to hers, murmering in contentment. Her hand touched his cheek as she responded, her fingertips caressing the soft skin. Pulling back from him, she found herself drowning in the blue ice.  
“You mean everything to me,” she whispered. “Absolutely everything.”  
He smiled. “And you to me,” he replied.   
She closed her eyes and tucked her head against his neck, and he pulled the quilt up over them both.


	21. Thranduil's Tender Side

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

Thranduil leaned on the doorframe, his arms folded across his chest, watching Amay. She was standing in front of the massive windows in the kitchen of their new home, staring out across the gardens, deep in thought.  
Moving silently, he shifted and padded over to her, his bare feet making no noise on the polished tile floor.  
She jumped a little as he slid his arms around her, settling his chin on her shoulder.  
“Talk to me,” he prompted.  
“What about?” she asked as she placed her hands on his warm arms.  
“Whatever is going on inside your head,” he answered.  
“Nothing, I was just admiring the view, the peacefulness,” she told him.  
“Do not lie to me,” he chided softly. “I can tell when something is bugging you.”  
He felt her stomach rise as she took a deep breath, and waited for her to speak.  
“It’s nothing. I just feel a little uneasy,” she said eventually.  
“Ok,” he said. “Can you tell me why?” Again, he waited.  
“I haven’t contributed anything to this,” she whispered.  
Inhaling deeply through his nose, he stayed quiet. He had known fine well what was wrong, without her telling him.  
“It’s a weird situation to be in,” she added.  
He stood to his full height, removing his arms and grasping her shoulders, turning her to face him. Worried blue eyes met his, and in a split second he read a thousand emotions in the depths. “You are uncomfortable because of the amount of money this house cost,” he stated. “And yet you do not know how much I paid for it. So your worries are pointless, my darling.”  
She frowned. “You’re completely missing my point.”  
A smile tugged at his full mouth. “I am not. I understand; you’ve had to work yourself like a dog your whole life to get anything, and now all of a sudden you have something that hasn’t broken your back in the effort to attain it. It makes sense.”  
Her frown deepened.  
“I know you haven’t had an easy run,” he told her, slowly running the pad of his index finger down her cheek.  
“Neither has anybody,” she replied. “That doesn’t mean any one person’s life is necessarily easier or harder than anyone else’s.”  
He pursed his mouth, and she could almost hear the cogs ticking over in his mind.  
“Would you, or would you not, cater to my every desire?” he asked after a few moments.  
“Of course I would,” she told him. “You shouldn’t have to ask that. I’d do anything for you, you know that.”  
“Then let me take care of you, look after you, spoil you,” he said. “It’s what I want to do, to give you the life you deserve. You’ve been taken for granted baby, and I want you to feel special, because you are. You’re special to me, and I would move heaven and earth for you.”  
“But I can’t look after you in the same way,” she said, with genuine sadness in her eyes.  
He shook his head. “You just have to be you,” he told her. “Nobody has ever made me feel this way Amethyst, ever. I just have to think about you, and everything that is wrong with the world seems right again. That’s what you do to me.”  
Her eyes lowered as she stepped into the welcoming warmth of his arms. “I just feel…I don’t know the word…lower?”  
“What?” he growled, pushing her back from him again. “Do not ever think like that, nor do you ever use that word to describe yourself,” he said, anger in his eyes. “This angers me, Amethyst. You are not lower than anyone, you are miles above. Do you hear me?” He finished with a sigh, hauling her back against him and wrapping his arms around her. “Oh my God, I can see I’m going to be spending the coming years trying to change your opinion of yourself.”  
“I can’t help the way I feel,” she murmered against his neck.  
“I can, and I will change it,” he said.   
She stood in his arms for a few minutes, absorbing the heat and love from him, before pulling back a little. Lifting herself onto her toes, she pressed a kiss to his mouth. “I love you,” she whispered.  
“And I love you too, so much, sweetheart,” he replied. “Shall we head home and relax for the rest of the day?”  
She nodded, taking his hand and entwining her fingers through his. They’d spent the last couple of hours in their new home, planning and deciding what they wanted and how to do it. “I’m actually really tired this afternoon,” she admitted.  
“Then maybe an evening curled up in bed watching a movie will do you the world of good,” he smiled down at her. “Come. We’ll pick up something to eat on the way, and that saves either of us cooking tonight.”  
*****  
Something penetrated the heavy blanket of sleep that cocooned Thranduil in the darkness. Opening his eyes, he stayed still, wondering what had woken him.  
Silence.  
Frowning, he turned to look at Amay, but her side of the bed was empty. He sat up, a faint noise reaching his ears. Throwing the quilt aside, he rose out of the bed and crossed the carpet. The apartment was in darkness, and she was nowhere to be seen. His frown deepened as he spotted a thin sliver of light coming from below the bathroom door.  
“Amethyst?” he said softly, listening at the door.  
No reply.  
He pushed the door open, and his heart dropped. She was lying on her side on the floor, her legs pulled up tight against her chest, rocking and crying.  
“Baby, what’s wrong?” he exclaimed, reaching her in two strides. Bright red in the unflushed toilet answered his question, and he cursed inwardly as he flushed it. “I’m sorry sweetheart,” he murmered, dropping to his knees beside her. “Why did you not waken me?”  
She sniffed, trying to keep her crying quiet, and shook her head. “There’s nothing you can do,” she said, and he could hear the agony in her voice. “Go back to bed, get some rest.”  
“Indeed I will not,” he said. “Have you cleaned up and put a pad on?”   
She nodded. He scooped her up into his arms, ignoring her protests, and carried her back through to the bedroom, lowering her gently against the sheet on his side, knowing the residual body heat he’d left would help to warm her.  
“I will be back in a minute,” he told her, pulling the quilt up around her shoulders. “Stay there.”  
With that, he disappeared, and she could hear him moving around in the kitchen. After a short space of time he reappeared with two cups of hot tea and some painkillers.  
“Take these,” he advised, setting one of the cups on the unit next to her. His arm slid around her back and helped her to sit upright, and she took the two tablets from him.  
“Thankyou,” she murmered, as he handed her the other cup.   
He watched her intently, waiting while she downed the painkillers, and nodded once he was satisfied. “You should have woken me,” he told her.  
“There wasn’t any point,” she said, her voice quiet as she struggled with the pain. “I should’ve known this was going to be a bad one; I’ve had a banging headache for the last two days.”  
“And so lying on a freezing bathroom floor, crying in agony, is a better way of dealing with it?” he asked. “I do not think so, my love.”  
“You need sleep,” she insisted. “You don’t need an emotional, bleeding woman keeping you awake because she feels like her insides are being ripped apart.”  
His eyebrows lowered in a heavy frown. “You have some ridiculous notions,” he decided, and went around to the other side of the bed. He slid in beside her, reaching past her for the cup he’d set down. “You do not suffer alone, no matter what the reason is, or what the time is, alright?”  
She mumbled something unintelligible into her cup as she drank her tea. “Thankyou,” she said softly, lifting her gaze to his.  
He smiled a tender smile, touching her cheek with his palm. “Wake me up any time, for any reason,” he told her. “Promise me.”  
She scoffed and turned her head, but he turned her back again with one finger.  
“Promise me,” he repeated.  
“Ok, ok, I will,” she conceded. She set the cup down and lay back against the pillows.  
“You are pale,” he murmered. “Do you need anything?”  
She shook her head. “No. I’ll be alright,” she replied.  
He gazed at her for a minute or two, before rolling onto his other side and propping himself up on one elbow to drink his tea. “Curl your tummy against my back,” he said. “The heat should help the pain.”  
She complied, and slid her arm across his stomach as she pressed tightly against him. He lay back once he finished, and placed his hand on top of hers. Every now and again, he felt her push really hard against the curve of his rear in pain, and he gently caressed her arm until she fell asleep.   
*****   
The next morning, Amay awoke to a massive box of chocolates and a bunch of red and pink carnations on the empty pillow beside her. She blinked, trying to bring the world around her into focus, frowning at the pillow. Dragging herself up into a sitting position, she leaned over and lifted the flowers, a smile lighting up her face. She gently traced her finger along the delicate edges of one of the blossoms, her smile growing wider.  
“It’s good to see you smile,” a velvet voice said quietly, and she lifted her eyes to see her lover leaning against the door frame, his arms folded over his chest. “I was worried about you last night.”  
“You don’t need to worry,” she said, setting the flowers aside and lifting her arms for a hug. “I go through bad ones pretty often.”  
He pushed his weight from the frame and crossed over to her, lowering his tall form to sit on the edge of the bed. Leaning into her embrace, he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her neck. “Do not suffer alone,” he told her. “It upsets me, my love.” Ice blue eyes searched hers as he stroked stray hair away from her face.   
“Thankyou for my gifts,” she said, unable to break his gaze.  
He smiled. “Chocolate is supposed to be good for that kind of thing,” he remarked with a slight shrug. “Or maybe not. Maybe it’s just a marketing ploy.” He laughed.  
“Whatever it is, it sure works,” she acknowledged.  
“I’ve put the kettle on, would you like a coffee?” he asked.  
“I’ll come through and make it,” she said, but he held her still.  
“No you will not. I’ll make it. You rest, take it easy today,” he instructed her.  
“Thranduillll,” she whined. “We have a few days off, away from work. I’m not staying cooped up in bed. I feel a little bit better this morning, I want to get up. And I need to pee.” She ended on a small pout, making him roar with laughter.  
“That, my love, I will allow,” he said. “But seriously, we’ll spend the day resting here at home. I don’t want you up on your feet taxing yourself. See how you are tomorrow before we make any plans, agreed?”  
“No,” she said stubbornly. “I’ll be alright once I have some more painkillers and the cramps ease off a bit. I’m having a period, I’m not disabled.”  
“That may be so, but I’m bigger than you, and you will do as I tell you,” he said, a smirk of amusement curving his sensual mouth.  
She laughed. “Alright, you big bully. But I really need to pee, so if you don’t let me up, I’ll pee the bed.”  
He slid his hands from her back up over her shoulders and down her arms, grasping her hands and pulling her to her feet. She smiled up at him as he led her from the bedroom, across the hall to the bathroom, before dropping a light kiss on her lips.  
“I’ll make the coffee,” he said. “Call me if you need me.”  
She remained where she was for a few seconds, watching his long blond hair swish against his back as he went back to the kitchen, before shaking her head to clear it and going into the bathroom.  
True to his word, coffee and hot buttered toast was waiting for her when she came back out. She went and sat on the couch beside him, snuggling against him as she ate.   
“There’s a chance I’ll have to fly back for a business meeting at the beginning of next month,” he told her, flicking through the channels on the tv. He turned his head and looked down at her. “Coming with me?”  
“Can I?” she asked excitedly.  
“Of course you can, I would prefer you to be with me,” he grinned. His entire body relaxed, and she sensed he had maybe been wondering if she wouldn’t accompany him. “We’ll be able to spend a few days in the city. The actual meeting should take maybe a full day, but other than that, we can spend some time together. Play tourists or something.”  
“Sounds like fun,” she said.   
“We can book into a different hotel every night…fuck on different beds every night,” he murmered, his gaze on her mouth.  
She grinned, leaning towards him and tangling her fingers in the hair at the back of his neck as she pulled him down for a kiss. “Sounds perfect to me,” she whispered. “Fuck sake…don’t get me all hot’n’horny when I’m like this!” she added with a laugh. She went back to her toast.  
He grinned, continuing to jump through the channels. “I doubt Indigo’s will be ready to open before then,” he acknowledged. “We should be back in good time for re-opening.”  
She nodded, wiping crumbs from her mouth. “I had a thought.”  
He looked at her, his eyebrows lifted in silent expectation.  
“What would you think of making Ray deputy manager?” she asked. “We need somebody to take over my role.”  
“You know him better than I do, sweetheart,” he replied. “If you think he’s capable of the job, then by all means go ahead.”  
She frowned. “Joint decisions, remember? Maybe we should both sit down with him and run a shedload of questions past him, like in an interview or something, so you can get a feel for him and how he works.”  
He glared at her, and she started to laugh.  
“I didn’t mean it like that,” she said. “Although I’m pretty damned sure he would love it if you had a feel of him.”  
He snorted, despite the amused smile in his eyes. “I think not,” he said.   
“I’m sorry,” she laughed. “It’s too funny to resist teasing. You’re safe, believe me. He knows better than to cross me.”  
“We will sort something out before we go,” he said. “Right now, I think you should take your coffee and lie down for a while.”  
“Bollocks,” she grunted. “I want to sort through some more crap so I can decide what to pack for the new house. You can keep an eye on me, I won’t be doing backflips or anything like that.”  
“No, I know you will not,” he told her. “I suppose packing won’t be all that hard on you.”  
Rolling her eyes, she took a drink of her coffee, saying nothing.  
*****   
“Are you guys serious?!” Ray almost squealed, his eyes flashing with excitement.  
Amay nodded. “Yep.”  
“Wow,” he laughed, leaning back in his seat across the table from her.  
“It carries a whole different level of responsibility,” she told him. “I’ll take you through everything you need to know, and I’ll be here if you need advice, as will Thranduil.”  
He glanced at the towering blond, who so far, had let Amay take the reins. “Are you ok with this, boss? I mean, you haven’t known me all that long.”  
“I trust Amethyst’s judgement,” he replied. “She has worked with you for a long time, and she knows how you perform under pressure. I also see how you look after her and take care of her when working with her.”  
Amay turned her head to look at him as he spoke, and a bolt of electricity shot through her. He was leaning his backside against the bottom ledge of the frame that surrounded the large mirrored window, his arms folded over his chest, his long hair sweeping over his shoulders.  
 _Damn _. The man was the epitome of sexiness.__  
“I’m honoured to have been considered, and I’d love to take you up on the offer,” Ray said, to both of them.  
She turned her attention away from the mesmerising sight and back to him. “Ok. You can officially start the role when we re-open, which hopefully, should be in the next three weeks,” she said. “I just need to keep on top of the builders and the decorators, get the safety fuckers in to assess everything, then we’re good to go.”  
“We’ll be leaving you in charge for a few days soon, as Amethyst and I will be flying to the UK for a couple of days,” Thranduil told him. “That will be before we open, so you don’t have to worry about running the club in our absence on such short notice. All you have to do is make sure the work continues and to secure the building every day.”  
“That’s definitely do-able,” he grinned. “Bring me back a souvenir?” he added hopefully to Amay.  
“I’ll bring you back a pay raise if you prove me right on this,” she said dryly.   
“I won’t let you down, Peach,” he said. “I can still call you that…right?”  
“Would I ever be anything else to you?” she laughed. “Go on, get outta here. I need to discuss some stuff with Thranduil.”  
“Ooo,” he said, rising from the seat.  
“And that shit stops,” she warned him as she pointed a pen at him, and only half-joking as she said it. “Quit with the sex jokes twenty four hours a day.”  
He hmmph’d as he left the office.  
She turned to face her lover, a satisfied smile on her face. “He’ll do alright as deputy manager,” she said. “I know he will.”  
He nodded. “I booked the flights while you were in the shower this morning,” he told her.  
“Great, when for?”  
“We fly out on Saturday, back next Thursday,” he replied. “My meeting is on Monday.”  
She nodded. “I’m quite looking forward to it,” she realised out loud.   
Thranduil frowned as her eyes clouded over. “What?”  
She shook her head. “Nothing.”  
“Amethyst.” The word came out in a low, soft tone that held a slight warning.  
Taking a deep breath, she tossed the pen onto the desk. “I’m just thinking about the last time I flew over,” she said, looking anywhere but at him.  
He stayed quiet for a moment, then stood to his full height, holding his arms out. “Come here,” he said quietly, and she rose to her feet, going into his embrace. “I know what’s going through your mind. The last time you flew over, we’d broken up and you were in pieces. I remember.”  
She turned her face in against his neck, inhaling deeply and closing her eyes. “I don’t like to remember it,” she whispered.  
“I was going through the same as you, sweetheart,” he told her. His hands rubbed her back as he talked. “I was so lonely and lost. You’d come to mean everything to me, and I’d lost you. I missed you so much, I thought my heart would physically break.”  
She lifted her head and gazed into his eyes. “You said you cried for me,” she said, recalling his words.  
“I did,” he said. “Every day. Every single day, Amethyst. I needed you. I felt like I was only half a person.”  
She closed her eyes against the emotions that raged through her, snuggling as close to him as she could get. His arms tightened like a vice around her.  
“We’re strong, my love,” he whispered. “And we love each other. Do not look to the past, look forwards.”   
“As long as I’m with you, I can,” she replied.  
“You’ll always be with me,” he promised, lifting her chin with one finger and touching his mouth to hers.


	22. In-Flight Entertainment

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO

“I have a suggestion,” Thranduil said, and Amay looked up from the magazine she was engrossed in. “The offices where my meeting is being held is close to the university my son attends. How do you feel about going to dinner with him on Monday night?”  
“Sure,” she said, closing the magazine. “Does he know?”  
He smiled. “Yes. I spoke with him the day before yesterday, and it was his suggestion,” he replied. “He’s looking forward to meeting you.”  
She made a face. “Now I’m nervous,” she laughed.  
“You have no need to be,” he assured her. He looked up as the stewardess stopped at his side, and took the two glasses of wine from her. “Thankyou.”  
She smiled at both of them and left.  
He handed one to Amay. “Now…why are you nervous? You’re not a nervous person to begin with.”  
“Actually, you’re wrong,” she corrected him. “I am sometimes, when it’s somebody really important. Like your son.”  
He grinned. “He’s my son, Amethyst, not God.”  
“But he’s an integral part of you, your life. I have to make a good impression,” she said, sipping her wine. “Ohh..this is nice.”  
Thranduil stretched his long legs out into the aisle, cramped with sitting for so long in the confined aircraft. “I understand that, but you’re not marrying him. You’re marrying me. And you’ve already made a good impression on me, so stop worrying. Actually…a _very good impression _on me…on every part of me.” He grinned wickedly, and she laughed.__  
“Stop that,” she chided. “No mile-high club in those toilets, they stink.”  
He smirked as he took a drink from his own glass. “You’ll like Legolas, I’m sure of it.”  
“What’s he like?” she asked, curious.  
He pursed his mouth. “Not quite as tall as me. He has my blond hair, and it’s quite long. Not quite as long as mine though, a bit shorter,” he said. “His eyes are a shade darker than mine. He has a wicked sense of humour, and is full of mischief. Now that I think about it – maybe introducing you two might not be such a good idea after all.”  
“Are you saying I’m easily led?” she asked with a sparkle in her eye.  
“Not at all, my darling,” he replied, taking her hand in his. “But he is. And he’s open to any suggestion that will cause trouble or get him into trouble.”  
“He sounds like fun to me,” she observed.  
He grunted. “I should have known better than to even entertain the idea of putting myself and you two menaces in the same room,” he muttered.  
“I promise to behave,” she said innocently.  
Ice blue eyes shifted to hers. “Don’t ever change, Amethyst,” he said softly. “Don’t ever change who you are.”  
Her heart missed a beat at the look in his eyes, and hers drifted closed as he leaned towards her. A soft whimper sounded as his mouth pressed against hers, slow, sensual movements coaxing hers into opening for him.  
“Oh yes, baby,” he whispered, before crushing his lips against hers harder and pushing his tongue into her mouth. Without breaking the kiss, he reached up and switched off the overhead light, plunging them into almost pitch darkness as most of the travellers on board had switched theirs off.  
His hand roamed down her side and caressed her thigh as he pressed her against the back of her seat, and her arms crossed over his shoulders. Her nipples hardened against his chest, a pang of longing shuddering through her. His hand left her leg and fumbled around at her side, and she felt her seat tilting back a little.  
“Better,” he whispered, kissing her neck. “Much better.”  
Biting her lip to stop from crying out, she gripped the fabric of his shirt, bunching the expensive cloth into her fists as he sucked on her flesh and licked a path downwards to her shoulder. Her bra strap was pushed to one side and down her arm, along with the thin strap of her top. He kissed along her shoulder, his hot breath sending shivers down her spine.  
She tangled her hands in his hair, unconsciously arching towards him as his hand went back to caressing her thigh. The thought that they were lucky the flight was only half full and that they were seated at the back crossed her mind briefly before vanishing again. His mouth was creating havoc as he dragged his tongue across her skin, dipping lower. Using his nose, he pushed her top out of his way, exposing her breast, and his tongue swirled around her nipple.  
She bucked up from the seat, choking back a gasp, her grip tightening in his hair. Tremors coursed through her in waves as he closed his mouth over her nipple and sucked rhythmically. A deep groan of pleasure rumbled up through his chest, lust flooding through his veins. Every shudder and whimper from her turned him on even more.  
His warm hand left her thigh and swept over her stomach, dipping down inside the waistband of her joggers and into her underwear. Her legs automatically parted, giving him more room, as he slid one finger effortlessly into her. Sighing in contentment at finding her so wet, he slowly pumped his finger in and out of her, increasing it to two. Her hips rose up to meet him, her hands twisting painfully in his hair, but he didn’t mind; her nipple was keeping him busy.  
She struggled to hold her silence as he withdrew his fingers and focused on rubbing her clit, which felt swollen under his touch. Her breathing rate increased, and he felt her legs tremble as he teased and tormented her. He alternated between caressing her sensitive organ and dipping his fingers back inside her, the warm, wet depths calling out to him.  
Lifting his head, he gazed into her eyes which were glazed with passion in the dim light. “Come for me,” he whispered, his mouth a hair’s breadth from hers. “Soak me.”  
She couldn’t answer, and instead tugged him down so she could kiss him. She hungrily accepted the intrusion of his tongue, meeting it and matching the sensual duel he set. Her insides clenched briefly, and she knew she was on the verge of coming. He increased the pressure on her clitoris, as if he sensed she was close, and her insides clenched again.  
“That’s it, baby,” he whispered. “Let me feel you come for me.”  
Her body went rigid and she exploded. He crushed his mouth down on hers, kissing her with a bruising passion as he slid his fingers back inside her, working them in and out rapidly as her juices gushed around him, using the heel of his hand to continue stimulating her clit. Each and every cell in her body seemed to glow and burst as her orgasm rocked through her, her energy draining fast.  
Thranduil slowly broke the kiss and lifted his head a fraction, smiling down at her as he slowly withdrew his fingers and pulled her clothing back into place. “Now you have better memories to think back on when you think about flying,” he whispered. He tenderly kissed her once more, then pulled the blanket at her feet up over both of them and tucked her against his shoulder. “Get some sleep, baby. I’ll wake you up before we land.”  
“But-“ she started.  
“Sleep,” he repeated, and kissed the top of her head. “Sssh.”  
*****  
Amay blinked a few times, groggy and disorientated, and struggled to get her bearings. She realised she was still on board the flight, and that it was morning as daylight twinkled in underneath the blind at the window next to her.  
Thranduil’s arm lay protectively around her shoulders, holding her against his side. His head was back against the headrest of his seat, his eyes closed, his breathing slow and deep.  
A pang went through her as she studied him. He had deliberately given her something to think about during the flight, and she smiled as she pondered his words afterwards.  
“ _Now you have better memories to think back on when you think about flying. _”__  
A warm feeling went through her body and her heart. He’d been aware of her last memories of flying and the pain that accompanied them, as she’d mentioned it previously. And he’d gone out of his way to find a solution. He’d put her first again, neglecting himself and taking care of her.  
Shifting slightly, she eased herself from his heated body and sat forwards as she slowly rose to her feet. Being careful not to disturb him, she carefully stepped over, and had one leg over his when his hand shot out and grabbed her wrist.  
“Are you alright?” he murmered, opening his eyes.  
“Yes, I need to use the toilet before we land,” she replied. On impulse, she leaned down and gently brushed her lips over his. “I love you,” she whispered.  
“I love you a million times more,” he whispered back with a smile, and released her.  
She was still smiling to herself when she retook her seat next to him. Amused blue eyes met hers as she sat down, but he said nothing.  
The stewardess came round with coffee, which they both accepted. Within an hour, the flight had touched down and they were queueing to get through customs. Tired from the journey, they didn’t speak, just stayed content in each other’s quiet presence. Thranduil stood at her back, his hand protectively around her waist as they inched forwards towards passport control. Amay relaxed and leaned back against him slightly as they waited, finding a deep comfort from his strong presence behind her.  
“Everything ok, sweetheart?” he asked.  
“Mmm.” She nodded. “I’m tired. I have a cheek, I slept for most of the flight.”  
“Travelling drains a person,” he observed, his hand slowly caressing her hip. “When we get to the hotel, you can go straight to bed if you want to.”  
“No way, there’s a hundred things I want to do, and see,” she laughed. “I didn’t come all the way over here to sleep.”  
He smiled, lowering his head and whispering into her ear. “Maybe I need to tire you out a little more,” his velvet voice said. “Maybe you need to be pinned down onto the bed, fucked senseless and given orgasm after orgasm.”  
She inhaled sharply at the vision that filled her mind, turning in his hold and crushing her mouth against his. The floor tipped beneath her feet as he responded instantly, his free hand going up to hold the back of her head as he angled his to control and deepen the kiss. Oblivious to the crowds around them going from A to B, she murmered in pleasure as his tongue swept around her mouth.  
“Keep it simmering for me, baby,” he whispered for her ears only, as he pulled back with a smirk.  
She narrowed her eyes as he stood back to his full height, a seductive smile hovering around his mouth. “You’re evil,” she said with a laugh.  
He merely lifted one eyebrow in acknowledgement, before giving her a gentle nudge to move her forward in the queue. “Remind me to call Legolas when we get to the hotel,” he told her, once they’d cleared customs and were heading out to a taxi. “I need to let him know we’re here.”  
She yawned. “I’ll try to remember,” she said. “Holy shit, it’s cold.”  
“It’ll take you a few days to acclimatise,” he replied as he opened the rear door of a waiting cab.  
“Ha…we’ll be heading back the way by the time I adjust,” she said. She slid into the vehicle and slid along the seat to the far side. Thranduil got in beside her, told the driver where they were going, and took her hand in his, holding it on his thigh.  
It didn’t take long for them to arrive at their destination, and Amay found herself with a renewed sense of energy as they checked into the hotel.  
“Wow, this is swish,” she observed as they headed for the elevators. The doors opened to reveal a uniformed attendant within, waiting to take them to whatever floor they requested.  
“Of course,” Thranduil replied. “I’m not bringing you to a dump.”  
She laughed, tightening her fingers around his. “I wouldn’t mind if it was a cardboard box under a bridge somewhere, as long as you were there with me,” she said.  
A cardboard box, it wasn’t. Their room was more like a small apartment, with a huge bed in an immaculately furnished room, a bathroom that was bigger than any she’d ever been in, and a lounge to die for.  
Thranduil smiled to himself as he watched her, marvelling at her almost child-like wonder as she explored the suite. “Does it meet your standards?” he asked.  
She raised one eyebrow at him over her shoulder. “That doesn’t even merit a reply,” she answered dryly. “I’ve never seen anything like this. It must be costing you a fortune!”  
His eyes darkened briefly. “My company picks up the tab,” he said smoothly. “Are you hungry?”  
She shook her head. “I’d kill for a decent coffee though,” she said. “Do you fancy coming with me to the coffee bar downstairs?”  
“Of course, just let me use the bathroom first,” he said, passing her as he disappeared.  
She went over to the massive windows, gazing out over the city below.  
“Gorgeous, isn’t it?” he murmered when he reappeared a few minutes later, crossing his arms over her abdomen.  
“It is,” she agreed. She turned in his arms. “Do you miss it?”  
“No,” he responded immediately. “My heart is wherever you are, my love, be it here, in the States, or wherever. I can settle anywhere.”  
She accepted his answer. “Remember to call Legolas,” she reminded him.  
He nodded. “Give me a few minutes, and I’ll do that right now,” he said, taking his cell phone from his pocket.  
She unpacked the few items of clothing they’d brought, hanging them up while he made his call. He’d suggested travelling light, as she would love the shopping centre just across the street from where he would be having his meeting on the Monday. They’d packed just basics; comfortable clothes for the flights, fresh underwear, a suit for his meeting, and jeans and tops for shopping. Amay had insisted on her Nikes, and Thranduil made up his mind he would be treating her to a new pair before their return.  
They left their suite and went downstairs to the coffee bar once his phone call had been made, and Amay found her head was like an owl’s, constantly twisting and turning as she took everything in while they sat with their coffee.  
“Have you stayed here before?” she inquired.  
“Yes, once,” he said. “It was a year or so ago, and I have to admit, it’s one of the best hotels I’ve been in. That’s why I thought it would be ideal to bring you here.”  
“It’s amazing,” she said. “I feel like a kid at Christmas.”  
He smiled, genuine warmth in his eyes. “Then as long as you are happy, I am too,” he told her. “My business partner has sent me a text, it came through while I was talking to my son. He wants to drop by for a coffee…are you alright with that?”  
“Why wouldn’t I be?” she asked with a frown. “Of course I don’t mind.”  
“He’s probably heading here as we speak, too impatient to wait for my reply,” he said, glancing at the screen on his phone which lay between them on the table. “He’s been itching to meet you.”  
“Oh Jesus,” she muttered.  
“You’ll be fine, babe. Bard is a really down-to-earth person, you’ll like him,” he assured her. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard him say a bad word about anybody.”  
They sat chatting comfortably for a short while, before a man with shoulder-length dark hair and a neat beard appeared, a wide grin on his face.  
“Thranduil, you old jet-setter!” he exclaimed, reaching out to shake his hand.  
Thranduil returned his grin as he stood, taking the offered hand and giving him a friendly back-slap. “Good to see you, Bard,” he said. “How’s life treating you since we last spoke?”  
“Can’t complain,” the newcomer said. “And this beauty must be Amethyst, am I right?” He turned towards her, and she rose from her seat.  
She smiled, taking the hand he offered and shaking it. “Hi, pleased to meet you,” she said. “Thranduil has spoken of you often.”  
“Nothing bad, I hope,” he said, glancing at his friend and business partner. “Anything he said is probably untrue.”  
She laughed. “Not at all, everything was good,” she assured him.  
“Well I must say,” he said in his strong Welsh accent as he lowered himself into a chair. “He did not do you justice when he spoke of you.”  
She blushed.  
“I could not have you trying to concentrate on work while drooling like a teenager,” Thranduil smirked.  
“Ha,” Bard snorted good-naturedly. “Are you all set for the meeting tomorrow?”  
“Am I ever,” he replied, as he took a drink of coffee after motioning to the waitress for another. “I hope it doesn’t last for the duration of the day. There are places I wish to take Amethyst before we fly back.”  
“Don’t worry about me,” she said. “I can occupy myself for the day. There’s plenty for me to see and do.”  
“I’ll try not to keep him from you for the entire day,” Bard told her. “Anyway, he tends to get bored at these meetings, and it shows.”  
“They drive me insane sometimes,” Thranduil agreed. “There are so many greedy companies out there, they remind me of sharks on a feeding frenzy.”  
The chat turned from their business to general topics, and Amay found herself taking an instant like to his partner. Light conversation revealed they had known each other since university, from which Bard promised to fill her in one day on the antics the pair had got up to when they should have been studying. Deciding his tales were definitely something she would like to hear, she promised a get-together before they flew back. Thranduil rolled his eyes with the comment that he would probably get drunk and leave them to it.  
Bard left after almost three quarters of an hour, and Amay found herself talked into wandering around the stores with Thranduil.  
The day passed peacefully, with the pair going from shop to shop. He watched her with a keen eye, his attention on everything. He noticed her smile as she glanced at a sequinned top in a shop window, he saw how she paused in one of the shops and ran her fingers down the leg of a pair of jeans, admiring the detail in the flowers stitched down one leg.  
Thinking he could have fun while she was occupied the next day, he kept his thoughts to himself.


	23. Possessive & Protective

CHAPTER TWENTY THREE

Darkness had fallen over the city by the time Thranduil and Amay returned to the hotel. They’d spent the day browsing through the shops, and then headed into a restaurant for dinner. Amay had cherished the time together, each sentence spoken revealing something different about him. They shared memories, hopes, and dreams, discovered common interests, and generally put the world to rights.  
Once settled back in the hotel, Thranduil told her he was going for a shower. She said she would join him momentarily, saying she wanted to call Ray and see how things were going back in the States.   
Her call lasted almost half an hour, with her friend ranting about the slowness of the workers and how impatient he was to get the place up and running again. After soothing him to a manageable level, she ended the call with the parting advice to try and chill out, and she would bang heads together when she returned, if need be.  
Dropping her cell phone onto the carpet with a sigh of exasperation, she turned to Thranduil, to find him dozing in an armchair. Her heart softened as she gazed over at him. He’d been awake for over twenty four hours, grabbing snatches of sleep here and there during their flight. He’d spent the day faithfully at her side, keeping her company and taking her wherever she wanted to go.  
Lifting herself onto her knees, she crawled across the thick carpet to him, gently tugging on the sash of his robe. The edges parted revealing strong chest muscles, and her mouth watered. She leaned into him, touching her mouth to the silky smooth skin and trailing light butterfly kisses over his flesh.  
A rumble echoed from him as he shifted, still sleeping, and she smiled. Her lips trailed lower, her tongue licking small patterns as she moved. Over his chest, down across his toned abdomen.  
“Mmm, don’t stop there, baby,” he murmered, a sleepy smile curving his mouth.  
“I don’t intend to,” she told him, pulling the robe further apart. Her eyebrows lifted briefly in surprise as she found him already half-erect. “Responsive, much,” she murmered softly, half to herself.  
“Where you are concerned, always,” he said, opening his eyes and winking at her.  
She grinned devilishly up at him, continuing her exploration with her kisses. His chest rose as he took a deep breath, his eyes closing again as she wrapped her hand around him, tugging gently. He parted his thighs, giving her room to get comfortable, and she settled in between them. Her tongue flicked across the head of his erection, and his hips jerked in response. Biting back a smile, she did it again, slowly circling and sliding down towards the base. Deep, heavy breathing sounded above her, but he remained silent, enjoying the pleasure she was inflicting on him.  
His silence broke when she closed her lips around him, taking him deep until he hit the back of her throat, and a gurgled exclamation floated over her. Her fingers tightened as she worked her hand up and down in smooth motions, following the rise and fall of her mouth on him.  
Glancing up at him, his head was back against the back of the chair, his eyes closed, his mouth open as he panted softly. This man deserved all the pleasure she could give him. He gave her so much, and asked for nothing in return.  
His hard length twitched as she licked and sucked him, her fingers on her free hand trailing lightly back and forth the inside of his thigh. His hips moved restlessly, as his need for release flew at him at speed. Her hot mouth kept up the sensual torture, lifting up to the point where he was almost free, before plunging back down again as far as she could go. A spurt of warm, salty fluid escaped, and she resisted the urge to grin. Instead she swallowed, the muscles in her throat constricting around his tip and making him groan.   
Lifting her head, she released him and sat back a fraction, watching his pre-come ooze from his tip as she worked her hand up and down with increasing speed. His thighs tensed against her sides, his feet braced against the carpet as he lifted his hips from the seat. The soft pants had turned to rapid gasping as he surged higher into bliss, her grip tightening around him. He let out a strangled cry as she took him back in her mouth again, swirling her tongue around him as she drove downwards until she could go no further.   
She shifted her free hand to slide under his sac, gently teasing and rubbing the warm skin, breathing through her nose as she felt his body flex and tense around her. Large hands gripped her hair and pulled hard, a torrent of soft pleas and swear words drifting over her head.   
“Fuck…I’m going to come,” he gasped breathlessly.   
She didn’t miss a stroke.  
“Amethyst…oh God…I’m coming,” he cried, his voice choked. He bucked off the seat with a deep growl as he peaked, his hot fluid spurting down her throat as everything around him faded out.  
Eventually he settled back onto the seat, sweat rolling down his back between his shoulder blades. His heart thumped like a base drum, his blood whooshing around his body at hyper speeds.  
Amay pulled back a little, pressed a gentle kiss to his stomach, before resting her head on the inside of his thigh. She closed her eyes in contentment as he lovingly ran his fingers through her hair, a small smile curving her mouth.   
Eventually, Thranduil lifted his head from the back of the chair, blinking to bring the room back into focus. He gazed down at Amay, a tender smile lurking. She had fallen asleep leaning against him, the day’s activities and the time difference finally catching up with her. He gently smoothed her hair, amazed at how much she affected him.  
Stretching his shoulders to loosen aching muscles, he eased her from him slightly so he could stand, then lifted her into his arms and placed her in bed.   
*****   
Although she was missing Thranduil at her side, Amay made the most of her day while he was in his meeting. She scooted around the city centre, thinking several times as she was jostled by the hordes of people that she didn’t miss London in the slightest. Her city was busy, but the pace in the capital was frantic in comparison. She pulled up a map on her phone, frowning as she pondered where to go next. Deciding to jump on the underground and set off for Oxford Street, she ducked under the masses and headed down below street level.  
High up in one of the tower blocks, Thranduil was locked in a heated debate. Having let Bard take control for most of the meeting, he finally had enough and spoke up, shattering the composure of many of those seated around the large, polished desk. He drove several points home, highlighting issues that hadn’t been even considered, before stating that unless reasonable conditions were met, his company would not be participating.  
He stormed out of the room, slamming the door at his back. Pinching the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger, he took several deep breaths.   
Amay drifted into his mind, bringing a smile to his mouth. He pulled his phone from his pocket, sending her a quick text asking how her day was going. Her reply came back almost instantly, saying where she’d been and where she was going.   
He grinned. By the sounds of things, she was keeping herself busy and had lots of photos to show him when she returned.   
He messaged her again, telling her that he missed her, and again she responded, sharing his feelings. She told him she was passing through Charing Cross and would be at Tottenham Court Road soon.  
He frowned.  
Typing rapidly, he told her to get a receipt for the taxi fare, to which she responded she was on the underground.  
His heart stopped, and he fled down the stairs of the building.  
*****   
Amay sighed as she looked around her, cheesed off at the closeness of the crowds around her and the various smells drifting past her nose. Some people obviously weren’t aware of personal hygiene, if her sense of smell was to be believed. The train hurtled along the tracks, having departed from Leicester Square after squeezing even more commuters on board.   
She found herself pressed tightly against an old man who reeked of alcohol and urine, and her throat constricted against the gag that was desperate to surface. Appreciation for modern travel and speeds surged through her as the train began to slow, on approach to Tottenham Court Road station, and she pushed forwards as it finally came to a halt.  
Stepping out onto the platform, she took a deep breath, shaking her head as she stepped away from the train.  
A gasp of fright left her as two strong arms grabbed her, and she found herself whirled round at lightning speed, coming face to face with Thranduil. She didn’t have time to react as she found herself crushed against his chest, his arms so tightly around her that she couldn’t breathe. Alarm pinged through her as he trembled against her, his hold on her tightening like a vice.  
“Babe, what’s wrong?” she managed to get out, pushing against his shoulders so he would release her. “I can’t breathe!”  
He immediately loosened his hold, but kept his arms around her as he pulled back to look at her.  
Her jaw dropped as she saw tears in his eyes. “What’s wrong?” she asked in a panic.  
He shook his head, biting his lip, and pulled her back against him.  
“Thranduil, you’re scaring me,” she said. “What happened?”  
Her arms went up around his shoulders as he buried his face in her hair, wondering what the hell had upset him. The tremor that shuddered through his body hadn’t eased.  
“Please do not go on the trains,” he whispered eventually, a hoarse plea that made her go rigid.  
“Oh no,” she whispered. “I’m so sorry baby, I didn’t even think…”  
He shook his head against her, refusing to let her go. She felt him swallow, and waited patiently for him to regain control. Turning her head, she gently kissed his cheek, murmering to him so that only he could hear her words of comfort.  
“I shouldn’t be so possessive,” he said, finally releasing her a little so he could see her.  
“It’s alright,” she said, lifting a hand to touch his face. “I never even gave a thought to what you told me about your wife. I should’ve, and I’m sorry that you were worried.”  
He swallowed again in an attempt to regroup himself. “I’m behaving like a fool,” he said, with a short laugh.   
“No you’re not. You’re worrying because we love each other, and because of what happened,” she corrected him. “There’s nothing wrong with that.”  
Taking a deep breath, he pressed a quick kiss to her mouth. “I have to get back,” he said softly as he tucked her hair behind her ear. “Would you like to come with me, or were you headed somewhere?”  
She knew instinctively that he needed her close by, so she shook her head. “Nope, I’m done for the day,” she said with a smile. “As long as I can grab a coffee somewhere, I’ll be happy to come back with you.”  
He smiled, a relieved smile that spoke of the tension he’d accumulated while he’d waited for her to come off the train. “There’s a comfortable waiting area on the ground floor where you can get something,” he said as he dropped his arms and took her hand. “I don’t think I should be much longer; I kind of started a small riot before I left.”  
She chuckled. “Bard did say you have little patience for these meetings,” she said wryly. “I take it you’ve caused all the trouble and left him to deal with it?”  
“In a word, yes,” he replied, grinning at her as they headed up onto the main street level. “He’s a good negotiator though, it’s nothing he cannot handle.”  
“Just as well, with you stirring the shit then leaving him,” she laughed. “Oh my God – fresh air!” She paused and took several deep breaths as they surfaced into the sunlight. “I swear, some folks need to be introduced to soap and water, dammit. They stink.”  
“I didn’t mean to scare you,” he told her as they wandered back towards the building where he was supposed to be. “I just…I don’t know…I suppose I flashed back in time and freaked out. I shouldn’t have.”  
“Don’t worry about it,” she said, swinging their joined hands between them. “I probably would’ve done the same if I’d been you.”  
“It isn’t right to interrupt your day though.”  
“You haven’t,” she said. “I was getting tired anyway, and wanted to settle somewhere to rest.”  
He slid a sideways glance at her. “You lie so badly, sweetheart.”  
Poking her tongue out at him, she didn’t reply.  
Once he led her into the office block, he took her to the waiting area, which was equipped with comfortable sofas and a massive wall-mounted television.   
“I promise to be back with you as soon as I can,” he whispered against her mouth. “I love you.”  
“I love you too,” she replied, and his fingers drifted away from hers as he walked towards the elevators.  
She settled onto the comfortable couch once she’d procured a coffee from the machine, opening a book she’d bought and quickly becoming engrossed in it.  
Within the hour, various suits emerged from the elevator, and she lifted her eyes briefly. Thranduil wasn’t among them, so she went back to her reading.  
“Well, hello there,” a smooth voice said, and she looked up again to see a dark-haired man in his late forties standing over her. “Are you lost?”  
“No,” she replied, going back to her book.  
“You look lost,” he said. “Maybe you would like some company?”   
Before she could reply, he’d seated himself at her side, too close for her liking. She shifted along a little, ignoring him. He shifted with her.  
“How about we get a drink somewhere?” he pressed. “I know a great bar not far from here.”  
“Nope,” she said, not looking up from the pages before her.  
“Aww, come on gorgeous, I’d like to get to know you,” he persisted. His sweaty hand lifted to rest on her knee.  
She swatted him away.  
“I think we’d like each other,” he said, replacing the hand.  
Again she shoved it off. “Do that again, and I’ll break your neck,” she warned, still not taking her attention from the book.  
He went quiet for a couple of seconds. “How about I take you to dinner?”  
“How about you take no for an answer and fuck off?” she demanded, slamming the book closed and whipping her head around to glare at him.   
He laughed. “Playing hard to get is so out of fashion,” he said, and she swerved aside as he moved to touch her hair. His other hand went back to her knee, with a tighter grip than before.  
She tossed the book to the side, using the heels of both hands and shoving hard against his shoulders. “Get the fuck off me,” she hissed.  
Within a second, his face turned red and he coughed and spluttered as the collar of his shirt tightened across his throat and he was hauled up from the couch.  
Thranduil towered over him, anger etched onto his face. “I believe the lady said no,” he growled. “And I believe she is not free for the taking.”  
The man gagged as the grip on his collar tightened. “She was chatting me up,” he wheezed, struggling against the iron hold. “She asked me to take her for a drink.”  
Amay’s eyes widened.  
“Considering she belongs to me, I do not think so,” Thranduil snarled. “Touch her again, speak to her again, _look at her again _, and I will break every bone in your body.” He shoved hard, throwing the smaller man across the polished floor, where he crashed to an undignified heap as he went backwards over a low table.__  
Turning to her, Thranduil’s eyes softened. “Are you alright?” he asked.  
She smiled, picking her book up and throwing it into her backpack. “I am now,” she replied, and took his hand. “Come on Rambo, before he calls the cops on us.”   
On the other side of the foyer, Bard leaned against a display case, his arms folded over his chest, a grin the size of a double decker bus on his face.  
“What are you laughing at?” Thranduil demanded as they approached him.  
“Not a thing, my friend, not a thing,” he laughed. “Remind me not to get drunk and forget that she’s yours!”  
His partner scowled at him.   
“Anyway, shall we catch up for a bite to eat tomorrow evening?” Bard suggested. He turned to Amay. “Does that fit in with your plans?”  
“I’m game,” she replied. “I want to hear all the crap you guys got up to.”  
Thranduil rolled his eyes at her cheeky grin. “Somehow, I get the feeling I shall regret this,” he muttered, a hint of humour in his tone. “Tomorrow is fine. Text me later and let me know where and when.”  
“I shall,” Bard replied. “Have a good night.”  
They left him, making their way across the marble floor and out through the revolving doors.   
“Shall we go and freshen up, get changed, before we meet Legolas?” Thranduil suggested.  
“Sounds good to me,” she replied. “I feel absolutely rank after being on the underground with so many bloody manky people.”  
He laughed. “You look amazing,” he told her.  
“Flattery will get you everywhere,” she quipped.  
Ice blue eyes glanced down at her as they walked along the pavement. “There’s only one place I wish to be right now,” he said, and her insides jolted in desire. “Unfortunately, that will have to wait.”  
“Didn’t you get enough last night?”  
“No,” he replied.  
She laughed, stepping closer to him to allow a young mother with a pram to pass them. “Why does that not surprise me?” she muttered. “What should I wear tonight?”  
“Whatever you are comfortable in, my love,” he answered. “It’s not formal, so you don’t have to feel like you need to make any particular effort.”  
“No, I’m going to turn up to meet your son like an old hag,” she scoffed. “I bought some tops and trousers today, maybe something from that lot will be ok.”  
“You worry too much,” he told her. “Legolas wants to meet you, not what you are wearing. He’s not that shallow, believe me.”  
She hmmph’d, ducking under his arm as he held the door to the hotel open for her. “Share a shower with me?” she asked.  
Flames of arousal blazed in the depth of his blue eyes. “I thought you would never ask,” he replied, following her into the elevator.  
She smirked as the attendant pressed the button to take them to their floor.


	24. Meeting The Family

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR

Amay leaned back in her seat, wiping tears of laughter away.  
“Seriously, I thought Dad was going to sprout horns,” Legolas laughed. “He wigged out and went absolutely mental.”  
“I’m not surprised,” she replied.   
“Exploding caps under the toilet seat are not funny,” Thranduil said dryly. He glanced at Amay, whose shoulders were shaking as she tried in vain to hold her laughter in. “Always check under the seat, my darling,” he told her softly, a hint of a smirk playing around the corners of his mouth. “You never know what you might find there.”  
“It wasn’t as funny as the shelving unit leaning against his bedroom door, filled with plastic cups of water,” Legolas chuckled. “Damn…I ran the hundred metres in less than five seconds that day.”  
Thranduil took a drink of his coffee, eyeing his son warily. “Someday, you will be blessed with a child who is equally as twisted and evil as yourself,” he commented. “Or maybe even more twisted and evil.”  
Legolas snorted. “Anything my kids do, they’ll learn from me,” he said. “Life is too short to be boring and sensible all the time.”  
“I agree,” Amay said, twisting her cup with one finger. “We used to pull crap on the nurses at the unit all the time. Not bad stuff, just swapping patients’ files into the wrong ones, or putting people in the wrong beds.”  
“Oh, that’s bad,” the younger blond laughed.  
“Nah, they were up for a laugh most of the time,” she said. “It brightened their days.”  
“Did you ever prank Sam?” he asked.  
“Not really,” she replied, frowning as she cast her mind over the years. “Maybe boring stuff, like salt in the sugar tub, or a roll of caps under his back tyre, that’s all.”  
“I’ve had to tolerate everything from spiders drawn on the toilet rolls, to my bathroom being filled with balloons,” Thranduil said. “And the older he became, the worse the pranks became.”  
Father and son shared a grin, and Amay felt the strong bond between them.   
“And you never pulled any of your own?” she asked, pushing her empty plate away slightly as she leaned on the tablecloth.  
“I never had the chance, with this monster,” he replied. “By the time I schemed something up, he’d already carried out about five more. I couldn’t keep up with him.”  
“You were too slow, Dad,” Legolas grinned. “Actually, one of our lot at uni has been pulled in for a right going-over. We blew up two huge white beach balls, painted eyes on them and tied them into one of the trees on campus, facing into the psychology department.”  
“I think I studied with the wrong university,” Amay remarked.  
“As did I,” Thranduil said, pushing his seat back. “Excuse me a few moments.”  
Legolas watched him stride across the restaurant towards the gents’. Turning back to Amay, he smiled. “Dad’s crazy about you,” he said. “But I probably don’t need to tell you that.”  
“The feeling is mutual,” she said, her gaze lingering on where he’d disappeared from her line of vision. She flipped it back to his son. “I’m lucky to have met him.”  
His smile widened. “I couldn’t believe it when he told me he’d met someone,” he said. “I’ve been trying to set him up for a few years, but he wasn’t interested. I was beginning to think he’d spend the rest of his life alone.”  
“I doubt it,” she replied. “Have you seen the looks he attracts? Watch the woman in the red top. She almost fell off her seat when he passed.”  
“That means nothing,” he told her. “Dad just seemed to close himself off completely. Women have always openly ogled him, but he never seemed to notice. I think maybe he was scared to commit to anyone after my mum passed away.”  
“That’s not surprising,” she said. “He would’ve gone through hell, but he pulled himself through, focused on you and his work, and became the person he is today. A lot of people wouldn’t have had the strength to do that.”  
Legolas nodded, gazing into his coffee. “I’m glad he has you,” he said, lifting blue eyes very similar to his father’s to meet hers. “I mean it. I see a sparkle in his eye that wasn’t there before. He sounds different on the phone. You’ve done something to him Amay, and it’s a change for the better.”  
She smiled. “He’s changed my life too,” she murmered.  
“Bard sent me a text just before I left to come here,” he said. “Dad threw some pervy geezer over a table for touching you?”  
“The guy was a bit more forceful than that,” she told him. “Your dad was protecting me, that’s all.”  
Legolas grinned. “Go Dad,” he laughed.  
“Uh-oh, here he comes. Check out that woman.”  
He shifted discreetly in his seat, watching the woman she had mentioned, who indeed practically drooled as his father made his way between the tables back to them.  
“What are you gawking at?” he asked, seating himself with a slight frown.  
“Not a thing,” his son replied. “When do you guys fly back?”  
“Thursday morning,” Amay replied. “We’re meeting Bard tomorrow at some point, and that gives us Wednesday to do the tourist thing while we’re here.”  
“I have classes for the rest of the week,” Legolas said. “So I don’t think I’ll be able to catch up with you before you go. But it’s been great seeing you, and wonderful to meet you, Amay.”  
“Likewise,” she returned with a genuine smile. “And it goes without saying you’re always welcome to come and stay with us whenever you want a vacation.”  
“I might take you up on that,” he grinned. “Dad, can I-“  
“No, you cannot,” Thranduil interrupted.   
Amay watched the two lock gazes, fascinated by the strong connection between parent and offspring. Legolas shrugged nonchalantly.  
“Don’t say I didn’t offer,” he said, rising to his feet. He turned to her, holding his arms out. She stood, wrapping her arms around him. “Please take care of my Dad,” he whispered.  
“I will,” she promised. “It’s been great meeting you.” She sat back down.  
He turned, and faced his father as he stood. “I’ll catch up with you soon, old man,” he grinned, and stepped into his embrace.  
“Love you, son,” Thranduil said quietly.  
“Love you too, Dad,” he replied, stepped away and quickly left the restaurant.  
Thranduil sighed softly, lowering himself back onto his seat.  
Amay reached across and gripped his hand. “Are you ok?” she asked.  
He nodded. “He’s not a child anymore, sometimes I have to remember he’s a grown man now,” he said.  
“He’s a credit to you,” she told him.   
He smiled. “He’s a strong, determined individual, and for that, I am eternally grateful,” he said. “Do you want anything else to eat or drink?”  
“No, I’m stuffed,” she said as she shook her head. “Shall we head back to the hotel?”  
He replied by signalling the waiter, and glaring back at Amay as she opened her mouth to speak. “No.”  
She rolled her eyes and waited while he settled the bill, then rose to her feet. He slid his arm around her waist as he led her from the restaurant, out onto the street, and into a taxi. She was yawning by the time they arrived at the hotel, and leaned into him on the elevator.  
He swiped the electronic card into the reader, pushing the door open once it beeped, and reaching over her to turn the light on. She stepped inside and crossed the carpet, coming to an abrupt halt.  
“What the hell,” she murmered.  
A massive pile of bags made up a mountain in the middle of the bed.  
Turning to Thranduil, she lifted her hands in silent question. He smiled, taking off his jacket and throwing it over the back of a chair nearby.  
Stepping closer to her, he linked his fingers together at the back of her waist. “I decided to treat you,” he said.  
“What??” she exclaimed. “What…why? Are you mad?”  
“Only about you, sweetheart,” he told her, gently kissing her. “Come. Sit and have a look.” He took her hand and led her over to the bed, urging her to sit beside him as he sat down.  
She lifted one of the bags and peered inside, her eyebrows lifting in surprise. “Thranduil,” she whispered. “These cost over a hundred quid.”  
“And?”  
Her mouth snapped closed again as she searched for a reply. “You can’t do this,” she stuttered finally. “They cost a fortune!”  
He took the bag from her, removing the jeans with the flowers embroidered from hip to ankle that he’d seen her looking at the previous day. “I think you will look amazing in these,” he said, holding them up for inspection.   
“Oh my God,” she said, looking into the next bag and pulling out a deep red top covered in red sequins. “Oh. My. Fucking. God.”  
He grinned, enjoying her expressions as she went from bag to bag.  
“I…babe…” she started, trailing off as she didn’t know what to say to him.  
He placed the denims on the bed next to him, and took her hands in his, pulling them over onto his lap. “I love you, and I want to spoil you,” he said quietly.   
“How did you manage this?” she asked.  
“I pay attention,” he replied. “And I made some phone calls during my meeting today.” He shrugged.  
“Oh babe,” she whispered, tears gathering in her eyes.  
“Please don’t be upset with me,” he said in alarm. “I wanted to surprise you, that’s all. You deserve it, my love.”  
“I’m not upset with you,” she said hoarsely. “But I don’t want you spending your money on me. This is worth an absolute fortune.”  
“You are worth far, far more,” he said softly as he wiped a solitary tear away from her cheek. He leaned towards her and captured her mouth with his, his lips gently coaxing hers to respond. “You are so precious to me. I want you to know that, to understand that. I want you to have everything you could ever want or need.”  
“I already have that, I have you,” she whispered brokenly. “You don’t have to buy me anything, all I need is you. All I want is your love.”  
“And you have it,” he said. “I love you with everything that I am, and I know I always will.”  
She inhaled deeply as she tried to gain control of her emotions, and her arms wrapped tightly around his neck as he gently lifted her over onto his thighs. Snuggling into his neck, she sniffed and closed her eyes.  
His warm hands radiated heat as he slowly stroked her back. “Please accept what I’ve done for you,” he murmered.  
“If it makes you happy, then I will,” she agreed. “But you do not have to do this.”  
His arms tightened around her, then loosened as he leaned back a little. “Look through the rest,” he prompted her with a grin.  
Shaking her head, she reached over and pulled the bags closer, and between them, they went through each bag. She gasped at the Nike trainers he had chosen, wondering how he could know her so well in his choice of style and design. She almost purred in pleasure as she discovered a t-shirt with paw prints all along the bottom. She hummed in expectation as she found a beautiful bra and knicker set, sexy red with lace and bows.  
“Why do I get the feeling this is more for you than me?” she laughed, lifting her eyes to his.  
He shrugged, a blush colouring his cheeks. “I have to have something too,” he defended himself.   
“I wish I’d known, we could have come back earlier,” she said.  
He tucked her hair behind her ear. “It will keep,” he assured her. “You look exhausted, and I know I am. We’ll move this over to the couch and get some sleep, ok?”  
She nodded, stifling a yawn as she clambered off his legs. “You’re nuts,” she muttered as she lifted some of the shopping.   
“I know,” he quipped as he took the rest, dropping it carefully onto the couch by the wall. “Come on. I need to hold you and get some sleep.”  
*****   
The following evening, they met with Bard and had dinner. The evening flew past rapidly, filled with food, alcohol, free-flowing jokes, and many stories of their youth. On the Wednesday, they trailed all over the city, complete with hangovers. Bard joined them for the first half of the day, before heading off to do his own thing. Thranduil took Ava to the zoo, knowing her affection for anything with hooves, paws, or feathers. He questioned his decision though when it came time to leave, as she pouted like a child and didn’t want to go.   
Back in the hotel, Amay carefully packed everything, taking time over each garment he had bought for her. He offered to help, but she shooed him away to work on his laptop while she completed the task.  
Bard had informed him that the takeover deal they’d been putting together had gone through, and the value of the company would rise by almost a third once the acquisition was in place. That kept him busy on the laptop while she packed and organised everything, as he replied to emails and sent his own out to various people.  
Thinking that she had gone quiet, he lifted his head from the screen, and his mouth opened in surprise to see her standing in the doorway of the bathroom, her arms folded as she leaned on the door frame.  
Wearing nothing but the red underwear he’d chosen for her.  
He swallowed as she moved towards him, her hips swaying as she approached. The blood rushed to his groin, immediately hardening him to attention.  
Holy fuck, he thought.  
The bra pulled her breasts together and lifted them slightly, giving her a killer cleavage, the glossy red material hugging her ample curves. Her figure dipped in at the waist before swelling out to form her hips, the knickers barely concealing her hidden treasure. Her long legs carried her to stand in between his thighs, and he lifted his eyes to hers to see her smiling.  
He slammed the laptop closed and tossed it onto the floor, lifting his hands to touch her. She leaned down and brushed her mouth over his, a soft, fleeting kiss designed to tease and torment. His hands drifted to her waist pulling her closer until she was resting against him, and slid around her back. Closing his eyes, he leaned his head to one side slightly as she placed soft little butterfly kisses down his neck, pausing here and there to lick his warm skin.   
His pulse thundered beneath her lips, making her smile in satisfaction.  
Good.  
She felt his chest heave as he took a deep breath, followed by a second, then a third, and decided to rid him of his shirt. She began to slowly undo the buttons, glancing up into his eyes every so often as she took her time. He gripped the cloth and tore it open impatiently, then crushed her tightly against him as he devoured her mouth.   
A whimper of lust met his ears as he plunged his tongue into her mouth, her body seeking to get closer still. Placing both hands under her knees, he lifted her legs and dropped her onto his lap so she sat astride him, running his palms along her thighs. He groaned as she rocked her hips against his groin, his arousal hard against the soft heat that beckoned him. Her long hair tickled his arms as he raised them, undoing the catch of her bra.  
“That didn’t last long,” she laughed, pulling back to kiss her way down his throat again.  
“Oh believe me, it looks gorgeous,” he gasped. “But not as gorgeous as you out of it.” The bra disappeared on the floor behind her, and his hands wandered all over her, coming to rest on her breasts. “These girls are all mine,” he whispered, taking one nipple into his mouth. “All mine.”  
She arched against him, sighing with pleasure as his tongue swirled around it as he sucked. Her fingers flexed on his upper arms and her hips shifted against his. Waves of pleasure flowed through her as his warm, wet mouth pressed open kisses over her cleavage as he turned to her other breast. She bit her lip, a deep groan winding its way up almost from her toes.  
“I have to have you,” he gasped, lifting his head and crushing his mouth to hers. “I need you, baby…”  
She slowly slid off his legs, reluctant to break his kiss, and knelt on the bed with her back to him. He twisted round, shrugging the torn shirt from his shoulders and pushing his trousers and underwear down to a heap on the floor.   
Her head leaned back as she felt his hard chest pressed against her back, his warm hands sliding up her arms to her shoulders. He settled on his knees and shuffled forwards, pushing his knees in between hers. Untying the bows on her hips, he pulled the fabric away from her, tossing it carelessly over his shoulder. He gripped her hip with one hand and urged her back towards him, the other rubbing himself over her wet folds as she settled into position.   
A murmer left her lips as he pushed into her, her eyes drifting closed and her head tilting to lean on his shoulder. Her insides stretched to accommodate the welcome intrusion, her fluid drenching him instantly. Her knees pressed into the bed on either side of his, and he opened his thighs wider to open hers as well. His hands closed over both breasts, his thumbs stimulating her nipples.  
She cried out and ground her hips down hard, bracing her hands on his hips for support. Fire flooded through her veins each time he thrust up into her, engulfing her in a blaze of passion and lust.   
He lowered his head and sucked hard on her neck, his hands kneading her breasts. She squirmed on his lap in response. Her left hand wound through his long hair holding him tightly to her, while her right maintained support on his hip.   
“You feel so tight baby, so hot, so wet,” he murmered against her. “I can never get enough of you.” He thrust into her on each adjective, rolling his hips as he moved. Her core contracted tightly around him, and he panted hard. “Jesus Christ…”  
Amay leaned forwards, bracing her hands flat on the bed, her back arching as his hands swept down her spine and gripped her ass cheeks. Moving hard against him, she threw her head back, gasping for breath as he pounded against her cervix. Her insides quivered and tensed; she was getting close.  
“Come for me,” he growled into her ear as he leaned down over her back, pulling her hair. “I want to hear you scream as you come.” He thrust harder, one hand braced over hers on the bed.  
Her arms trembled under the force of his penetration, her knees sliding further apart as she struggled to hold her weight. She panted like a long distance runner as she tried to drag oxygen into her lungs. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath and howled at the top of her voice as she climaxed around him, the pleasure sharp and intense as the waves crashed over her.   
Thranduil’s panting breaths turned to grunted cries as he rocked deeper into her pulsating core, and he dug his fingers into her hip as he felt the beginning of his orgasm. Throwing his head back and gritting his teeth, his body jerked hard as he exploded into her, a long growl ripping up through his chest.   
Amay crashed forwards onto the bed, exhausted and worn out, panting with exertion. He shakily lowered his body down, half on top of her and half to one side. He placed one hand on the back of her head, smoothing her hair as he gasped for air. She turned her head towards him, her eyes closed and her mouth open as she gulped oxygen in.   
She eventually opened her eyes, focusing on his.  
He looked fatigued.  
She smiled, hoisting herself up onto her elbows, and leaning over to kiss him. “It just gets better and better every time,” she murmered.  
He hummed in agreement, too winded to formulate words. Resting his head on the quilt, he took a few minutes to steady himself. She rolled away, sitting up on the edge of the bed, her head lowered.  
“Are you alright, sweetheart?” he asked.  
“Yeah, just trying to learn how to breathe properly again,” she replied with a soft laugh. “Some handsome dude just fucked me twelve ways from Tuesday.”  
A rumble of laughter drifted past her, and she felt the bed shift as he moved his weight. His chest pressed against her back and his arms slipped around her waist. “I love you so much, my angel,” he whispered, and kissed the sensitive skin below her ear.   
“I love you so much more,” she replied huskily, closing her eyes and leaning into him. Curling her toes, she lifted her abandoned knickers, reaching down and plucking them from her foot. “I don’t even want to know how much these cost,” she laughed. “But whatever it was, I don’t think you got your money’s worth!”  
He chuckled behind her, kissing her shoulder and leaning his chin there. “You blew me away standing there in those,” he told her. “I thought I’d died and gone to heaven.”  
She smiled over her shoulder. “We should try and get some sleep, we’re up early tomorrow,” she said. Twisting so she could meet his eyes, she asked if he would hold her while they fell asleep.  
“I always do,” he answered. “It’s the only way I can sleep since I met you.”  
He pulled her backwards across the bed, both of them laughing and giggling, and settled her under the quilt. Snuggling into his arms, she closed her eyes with a sigh of contentment as she breathed in his unique smell.


	25. Opening Night

** CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE **

****

“And so I suggest we aim for this Saturday night,” Thranduil concluded, and was met by a boisterous cheer from the assembled staff. “It’s the busiest night, so I think it makes perfect sense to go for it then.”

“I agree,” Amay said, leaning back against his torso. “Ray, you’re in charge of the social media announcement-thingy, and everybody else can spread the word. Stevie has made up some flyers, but he’s on duty at the hospital, so maybe Gary and Alina can take care of getting those out.”

“Yesssss!” Ray hissed, his enthusiasm boiling over. “This has been so long in coming, it’s been like waiting for Christmas or something.”

“Well, let’s hope all goes according to plan,” she replied, grinning at his excitement. “Anybody have any questions?”

The group murmered between themselves, eventually having nothing they wanted to ask.

Amay was seated on the stairs, with Thranduil on the step behind her. Cradled comfortably in between his thighs, she felt contented, knowing their nightclub was only days away from functioning again.

“I have a question,” Vicky said slowly. “Will you be contacting Wendy?”

Amay snorted, but Thranduil spoke up before she could launch into a torrent of cursing.

“No,” he replied. “She has not been in touch since the day we buried Sam, so we are assuming she no longer wishes to continue her employment with us. She will not be contacted or invited.”

Several heads nodded in agreement.

“Good thing too,” Ray grunted. “Bitch deserves to be slapped into next week for trying to come between you guys.”

“I’m just waiting for her to poke her head out from under the bridge she lives under, the fucking troll,” Vicky muttered.

Amay’s acute hearing picked up her words. “Don’t get yourself into that crap,” she advised, taking a drink of her coffee. “Seriously. She’s not worth it.”

“She will get her comeuppance,” Thranduil said. “People like that always do.”

“I think she deserves a smack in the teeth,” normally placid Gary commented. “What she did to this place is just bang out of order. We could all have been out of work, Amay could have been seriously hurt…it’s just bullshit.”

“Bullshit it may be,” Amay said. “But it’s bullshit nobody’s going to retaliate to, alright? We have no proof, so everybody chill out and let it go.”

“Does that include you, Peach?” Ray asked, looking at her as though he didn’t buy a word of what she was saying.

She glared at him, and Thranduil tightened his legs around her.

“Yes it does,” he answered for her, and Ray burst out laughing at the scowl she wore. “Doesn’t it, my love?”

“Yes,” she grunted.

A few sniggers filtered around the staff, all of them knowing just how far people could push her before she exploded and everybody ran for cover.

“Anyway, we shall see what Saturday brings,” he said. His warm hand was placed on her hip, and the heat permeated through her leggings. “Until then, make the most of the peace and quiet before the madness begins.”

“Ray, I need you and Stevie to hang around this afternoon, as the sound guys are going to complete the speaker system,” Amay said. “Can you manage that?”

“Sure,” Stevie replied, and Ray nodded.

“Cool. Everybody else, go back to what you were doing. And thanks for a great job. It’s been a real team effort to get through this, and we really appreciate all you’ve put in,” she said.

The group dispersed, and she relaxed against Thranduil’s chest with a smile of satisfaction.

“I once told you…there is nothing we cannot mend,” he said, his voice soothing and comforting.

She frowned at him over her shoulder. “You did tell me that,” she murmered. “When was it…I know…it was when Sam sent me over to see you.”

He nodded, playing with her hair. “Yes. I was making you chips and cheese.”

She laughed. “My God, you have some memory.”

“I do,” he agreed.

“Hey guys, I’m going to jump out to the drive through for something to eat, you fancy anything?” Ray asked, coming back onto the main floor.

“Are you hungry, sweetheart?” Thranduil questioned her.

“Bloody starving,” she laughed. “Where you going, McDonald’s?”

“I suppose so,” Ray sighed dramatically. “Big Mac?”

“And a McChicken-thingybob meal,” she said.

He shook his head, mumbling something about fat people.

Thranduil managed to contain his laughter long enough to request the same, and shook his head in amusement as their employee disappeared.

“Fat,” she scoffed in disgust. “I’ll give him fat!”

“There’s not an ounce of fat on you, my angel,” he told her. “You’re curved in all the right places.”

“Keep talking!” she laughed. “I’ve never given my weight any thought. I eat what I want, when I want. If it goes up, it goes up. If not, it doesn’t. No big deal.”

“That’s the way it should be,” he said. “Too many women worry about how thin they should be; it’s not attractive.”

Ray soon returned, and they took themselves over to one of the newly-installed seating booths at the back, where Thranduil slid in beside Amay and their friend sat across from them.

“So when are you moving to the new house?” he asked, stuffing handfuls of fries into his mouth.

“At least one to two weeks away yet,” Thranduil replied.

“Mmm. We wanted to get the club up and running again first,” Amay added. “We can move after that.”

“Wild housewarming party?” he asked hopefully.

“Not on your life,” she grunted as she bit into her cheeseburger. “I know how you get at parties, you madman.”

“I don’t know, it sounds like a good idea,” Thranduil said thoughtfully, glancing at her.

“Oh no!” she wailed. “Babe, he goes off his nut, he has a few beers and thinks he’s MC fucking Hammer. He’s all over the show.”

Ray gaped at her indignantly. “I do _not_!” he gasped. “Peach, you are evil. I don’t like you anymore.”

“I never liked you,” she retorted.

“You’re just jealous because I have more style than you,” he scoffed.

“Shut up and eat, you vagina,” she said dryly.

Thranduil snorted in a futile attempt at holding his laughter in. “You two are crazy.”

“Always have been, always will be,” Ray agreed. “Although I’m just crazy. Your woman there is psychotic.”

She kicked him under the table. “So…are you looking forward to your first shift as deputy?”

His eyes lit up. “God, yes! I can’t wait,” he said. “I had an idea I wanted to run past you. Have you thought of a theme for opening night?”

“Not particularly,” she replied. “Oh fuck…this tastes like heaven,” she mumbled as she took another bite of her burger.

“We need a theme, Peach,” he said.

She looked at Thranduil, who shrugged.

“Do not look at me, I’m still new to all this,” he said.

Turning back to Ray, she pursed her mouth thoughtfully. “80s?”

“Hoopla!” he roared. “Exactly what I was thinking.”

She nodded. “Put together a playlist for me, and once we’ve looked it over, you can sort it out with Graham.” Graham was the resident DJ.

Thranduil grinned and listened to them, as the discussion turned into an argument over which music to play.

*****

A heavy base thundered through the nightclub, the walls and floors vibrating. The place was heaving, wall-to-wall with people dancing and drinking. Lights flashed in a multitude of colours, with the smoke machine kicking in intermittently.

Thranduil’s eyes were on Amay, who was in full flow behind the bar. She wore the standard issue black vest top with “staff” on the front in white letters, her long black hair sweeping around her hips as she moved fluidly from one area to another. Her body moved in time with the deafening beat as she served customers, her face lit up in sheer delight. Gary, Alina, and Dan were behind the bar with her, each one of them run off their feet as they kept up with the demand.

He watched as she moved past Alina, lifting her tray of drinks over her head and twirling in a circle to manoeuvre around, laughing at something Alina said to her in the process. She rounded the bar, ducking and diving through the dancers to take the tray over to one of the seating booths. On her way back, she paused to dance for a few moments with some people she knew, before bouncing back to the bar.

Deep blue eyes lined with heavy black eyeliner lifted suddenly and met his, as though she knew she was being watched.

Her heart missed a beat.

Thranduil was making his way through the crowd to her, a smirk tugging at his mouth. His eyes never left hers as he wound his way forwards, his arrogant swagger making her bones melt.

He was _gorgeous._

He leaned on the bar, beckoning her towards him with a tilt of his head. “You are amazing,” he said, speaking into her ear so she could hear him over the music.

“How come?” she laughed, embarrassed.

“You look so settled, so happy,” he replied. “Kiss me.”

She turned her head, catching his mouth with hers, and kissing him passionately. “I needed that,” she said, pulling back with a smile and a sparkle in her eyes.

“What you need is a break, my darling,” he informed her.

“I can’t babe, it’s way too busy down here,” she said, shaking her head.

He stood back to his full height with a challenging look, and signalled Ray over with a flick of his head. “Ray, take over here for half an hour,” he instructed him. “Amethyst hasn’t been off the floor in almost five hours.”

“Sure thing, boss,” he replied, vaulting the bar and crashing to a heap beside her. “Beat it, lady. Ray-Ban is heeeeere! Right, who’s next?” He turned to the crowd of patrons who were waiting their turn to be served.

She shook her head and left him to it, going round to the other side and joining Thranduil. He wound his hand around hers, leading her through the throng and upstairs to the offices.

“You should have taken a break long before now,” he said, leading her into the main one and closing the door. “Sit.”

She smiled as he guided her over to the plush couch, gently pushing her shoulders so she sat. “I’m fine,” she told him. “I didn’t realise how fast the time disappeared, it’s been absolutely bursting.”

He handed her a wrapped sandwich and a coffee, one eyebrow raised. “Busy or not, everyone else has had several breaks, yet you’ve had none,” he said. “You need to take care of yourself.”

“I’m alright,” she said, unwrapping the sandwich. “I have to admit, I didn’t think it would be quite as busy.”

“Lots of people have obviously missed coming here,” he acknowledged, lowering himself to sit beside her.

She immediately twisted and lifted her legs, placing them over his thighs. “It always was a pretty popular place,” she said through a mouthful of food. “But you have a point.”

“I’m wondering if maybe we should have more staff,” he said.

“Don’t jump to that right now, babe,” she said. “Tonight’s possibly a one-off. The best bet is to wait and see how things pan out over the next week or so. It might die down a bit, you can’t tell.”

He nodded, rubbing his hand on her thigh. “I want you to let me know if it’s too much to handle down there,” he said.

She scoffed. “We’ve opened with less staff on shift,” she said, taking another bite.

“That’s not what I mean,” he said. “I mean if you get tired, if you need to take time out, have a rest.”

She smiled. “There is something I need,” she told him.

He looked at her expectantly.

“I want to dance with you,” she said softly.

He smiled. “I can manage that,” he replied. “We’ll go down when you’ve finished.”

She hurried through the rest of her sandwich and downed her coffee, leaping up and grabbing him by the hand as she hauled him after her back down onto the dance floor. By the time they reached the crowds, the music had changed tempo, with a remixed version of Duran Duran’s Come Undone echoing through the building.

Amay turned to face Thranduil, sliding her arms up around his neck, her body moulded to his. He smiled down at her as his arms locked at the hollow of her back, and the two of them slowly moved in rhythm.

“ _Who do you need? Who do you love when you’ve come undone? Can’t ever keep from fallin’ apart,”_ she sang. Her eyes were fixed on his, the lights flashing off the ice blue that stared back at her. Neither of them could look away from each other. 

The track blended seamlessly with Heart’s All I Want To Do, and Amay’s senses went on full alert. Her heart began to beat faster, and her skin seemed to tingle.

_All I wanna do is make love to you, one night of love was all we knew. All I wanna do is make love to you, I got lovin’ arms to hold on to. We made love, love like strangers, all night long, oh we made love._

Thranduil watched her pupils dilate, felt her nipples harden against his chest, saw her lips part as she drowned in his eyes. Holding her tightly to him, he lowered his head and touched his lips to hers. She moaned, desperate to emulate the images that had propelled through her mind at the song lyrics.

They continued to sway to the music, not breaking the kiss. Everybody else on the floor seemed to fade away, until it was just the two of them in their own world. His mouth controlled her, his sensual, erotic touch sending her deeper into an abyss of lust. His hands roamed over her back as they moved, his hips pressed tightly against hers.

She gasped as they pulled apart, her heart thudding violently and her brain unable to function properly.

Thranduil smiled down at her, lifting one hand and caressing her cheek, biting his lip. Nothing was said, they just continued to gaze into each other’s eyes, the magic flowing between them in an invisible, unbreakable bond.

Their bubble burst as Ray appeared beside them, gently touching her elbow.

“Sorry to intrude, Peach, but you’re needed,” he said. “Trouble.”

She sighed in frustration, annoyed at a magical moment being broken by an outside influence. Lifting herself onto her toes, she pressed a kiss to Thranduil’s lips, whispering that she would be back soon.

She took off before he could respond, ducking and diving through the crowd after her colleague. He hurtled through the nightclub, winding a path through the dancers who were oblivious to their fleeing. Crashing out through the fire exit doors, they came out to find one of their bouncers in a punch-up with three other men.

“I’ll go left, you go right,” she said, not breaking pace as she ran towards the group who were rolling around on the ground in a tangle of fists and feet. Ray was at her shoulder, and as they approached, he shot off on her direction, tackling the assailant on the right, while she launched herself onto the back of the one on the left.

The bouncer on the ground kicked himself free of the third, bouncing to his feet and ramming his head into his torso. Amay clung to the back of the man she had, her arm tight across his throat. He whirled round and round, trying in vain to dislodge her. An elbow rammed hard into her stomach, but that made her mad and she jumped down, still with a death grip. His head and neck bent back as he fell backwards, pulled off balance. Twisting her body round, she hauled him right down onto the concrete, pinning him onto his back.

Ray had managed to get his opponent’s arms twisted up behind his back, and was struggling to hold him still. A few seconds later, a team of bouncers flew out of the building, grabbing the three offenders and dragging them out of the parking lot.

Amay bent over, resting her hands on her knees, panting.

“You ok, Peach?” Ray asked as he breathed hard.

She nodded, her shoulders heaving as she breathed.

“What the _fuck_ happened?” Thranduil’s angry shout demanded.

She stood up, shaking her head. “It’s alright, it’s over,” she said.

He strode over to her, fury in his eyes as he glared at Ray. “You’re bleeding,” he said, tipping her chin up, inspecting the trickle of blood from her nose.

She hadn’t even been aware of a blow to her face.

He took a tissue from his back pocket with his free hand, gently wiping the blood away. Satisfied that it wasn’t a free-flowing bleed, he whirled round to his deputy manager. “What the _fuck_ did you involve her for?” he demanded angrily. “ _Never_ take a woman to break up a fight! You’re a man, you should have the balls to deal with it yourself, or take another male with you, not a female! What the hell were you thinking?”

Ray turned pale, never having seen this side of him.

“And you,” he snapped, turning to face the bouncer they’d pulled from the fight. “You had no business being off the premises with customers in the first place! Your place is inside, at the main door, not out here rolling round like some damned thug!”

“Calm down,” Amay said, touching his forearm. “It’s sorted.”

Furious ice blue eyes clashed with hers. “It is _not_ sorted,” he spat. “I cannot believe that trained males shout upon a female to help them when things get out of hand. This is unacceptable, and it will _not_ happen again. Do I make myself clear?” His final words were hissed at Ray and Mason, the other bouncer.

Mumbled excuses and apologies were the response he received, but he was in no mood to pay them any attention. Taking her hand, he stormed back inside and took her through to the staff quarters.

“Sit up there, sweetheart,” he told her, his tone completely different. She complied, lifting herself to sit on the edge of one of the pool tables. He dampened a corner of a hand towel and held it against her nose, as more blood had trickled. Breathing deeply, he fought with himself to remain calm.

Blue eyes gazed into his, uncertain of what his next words were going to be.

He swallowed, removing the damp fabric and making sure she wasn’t bleeding anymore. He stood for a few moments, staring down at the towel he held, his eyebrows down in a deep frown.

“We will talk about this when we get home,” he said eventually, his voice gentle.

She nodded, and slid off the table as he held his arm out to help her.


	26. Rule Changes

** CHAPTER TWENTY SIX **

****

The drive home was quiet.

Amay was tired, having closed Indigo’s at two o’clock. Her normal practice was to cash up and sort out the takings, while the team would remain behind to clear most of the garbage left behind.

Thranduil however, insisted everything be left until the morning. He made sure the takings were secured, then dismissed everybody with the instruction that they should return to clear up by nine o’clock.

Nobody dared question his command.

Word had spread like wildfire amongst the staff that Ray had pulled her into a fight, and that Thranduil was pissed off. The staff had quietly said their good-nights and scarpered.

The mood had been tense, to say the least.

Thranduil pulled up in the lot outside their apartment, sighing as he switched off the engine. Undoing his seat-belt, he climbed out of the car and went around to help Amay out of her side. He ushered her upstairs and peeled her jacket from her shoulders once they were indoors.

“I’m going to make a coffee,” she said, her voice unusually soft. “D’you want one?”

He forced a smile, more for her benefit than his. “Please,” he accepted. He tossed the garment over the back of the couch, throwing his weight down and closing his eyes. Amay busied herself in the kitchen, and went back through within a few minutes with two mugs of coffee.

He opened his eyes, and took the cup from her. “Sit,” he said, indicating the low table in front of him.

She sat, and waited.

“Tell me how Sam ran things when he was alive,” he said.

“In what aspect?”

“I want to know what he would have done he if had been with us tonight,” came the response.

She twisted her mouth. “He would have sent out those most capable of handling the situation. His philosophy was to get any trouble off the premises as fast as, no questions asked. He would’ve sent whoever could break it up without inciting it further.”

“And he would’ve chosen who?”

She gazed at him. “Me and Ray, probably.”

He exhaled heavily through his nose, running a hand through his hair.

“It’s what we do,” she said. “Part of my role was head bouncer. I’d delegate until things became too much, then I’d step in and put a stop to whatever was happening.”

Ice blue eyes held her prisoner. “And how many bruises have you had in your time there?” he asked.

She snorted. “Hundreds.”

“Black eyes?”

“A few,” she said, after considering her answer for a moment.

“Broken bones?”

“Why?”

He leaned forwards, resting his elbows on his knees, his long hair brushing his legs. “Because no more, Amethyst. No more.”

She detected a touch of anger in both his words and his eyes. “But it’s what we’re trained for,” she told him.

“If you think for one solitary second that I’m going to allow the woman I love to spend her nights brawling like a back street hooligan, getting the crap kicked out of her, and coming home to me with more shades of black and blue than a paint sample chart, then you’re barking up the wrong tree,” he said. “No woman should ever be involved in an altercation, and if I have anything to do with it, no woman who works in that place ever will be. We employ male staff, strong, physically capable male staff who are more than adequate to deal with these things, not the women.”

She scowled at him.

“Do not look at me like that,” he told her. “What kind of a man would I be to sit back and ignore what is going on? To turn a blind eye to the abuse you have to endure? How many other women there are called upon like tonight?”

“Uh…I’d have to count,” she replied.

“Then count.” His tone stated he did not want to be messed around.

“None,” she admitted, lowering her gaze to her cup.

“So with numerous males in our employment, I have to be content with you – the woman I love beyond anything in this world -  to be relied on when trouble erupts?” he asked. “Do you think that’s fair?”

“It’s the way it has always been,” she said. “The guys depend on me, they always have.”

“If they have a dick between their legs, anatomically that makes them men, and it’s time they started thinking and acting like men,” he said. “I’m changing how things work, Amethyst. I am not going to tolerate what went on tonight, no matter how angry you get, or how much grief you give me.”

She shook her head. “I’m not angry.”

One eyebrow lifted. “Yet.”

“You’re angry,” she pointed out softly.

He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “I am angry because the degenerates who work for us look to you at the first sign of a punch being thrown, and it’s just wrong, Amethyst. So, so wrong on so many different levels.”

“I can see where you’re coming from,” she told him. “But Sam always relied on me to jump in when things got too rough. He knew I’d break it up and maybe my support helped the others take control.”

“But this is what I’m talking about,” he said, frustrated. “They’re not taking control. They’re depending on you, they know you’ll fix everything, sort out whatever trouble they’ve got themselves into. I don’t know of any company that would put a female in the middle of something like tonight.”

She took a sip of her coffee. “I can throw a punch as good as any bloke,” she muttered.

“I’m not saying you cannot defend yourself,” he said. “I’ve seen you in full flow, several times. I’ve been at the end of your temper. I know.”

Her cheeks turned red and she slammed her cup down beside her, turning her head away from him as tears burned her eyes.

“I’m sorry,” he said, taking her hands in his. “I shouldn’t have said that, it was out of line. What I mean is I understand you can handle yourself my darling, I just do not want you to have to. Can you understand that?”

She swallowed, breathing deeply. “I have an ultimatum for you,” she said, turning back to look at him. “I’m giving you two choices.”

He blinked.

“Either slap me with the same anger and force that I did with you, or promise me that you’ll never throw that in my face again,” she said. Her words were filled with hurt.

His eyes widened in alarm. “What?” he asked incredulously.

“You heard me,” she said. “I feel so fucking bad about that, and I wish more than anything that I’d never done it, but if it’s going to be brought up all the time-“

“It isn’t,” he interrupted. He griped her hands tighter. “I’m sorry…I shouldn’t have said anything about it. I _promise_ with all my heart never to mention it again. I promise, Amethyst.”

She stared at him for a few seconds, before lowering her gaze. “Fine,” she said quietly.

He shook his head as he lowered it. “I can’t believe I brought it up,” he muttered. “I’m sorry.”

She didn’t answer.

“All I’m trying to do is to protect you, my love, not hurt you,” he said. His tone was quiet and subdued, having lost the streak of chagrin it had held previously. “I would never hurt you.”

“I know,” she said, still fighting off the pain at his words, even though she knew he hadn’t meant them maliciously. “I’m shattered, I want to get some sleep.”

He nodded. “Forgive me?” His blue eyes were anguished.

She touched his cheek. “Of course I do,” she murmered. “Come on. Take me to bed. I need a hug.”

He rose to his feet, pulling her gently to hers, and wrapped his arms around her, closing his eyes as he buried his face against the side of her neck. “You’re precious to me beyond measure,” he whispered. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” she replied softly.

*****

Amay sat on the couch with one knee crossed over the other, bouncing her foot to the strains of the music playing on the floor below, her eyes on Thranduil. He stood with his rear leaning against the desk, his arms folded over his chest, a dark scowl on his face as he watched the CCTV footage from the previous night.

He looked intimidating in his pissed-off state. His long hair hung over his shoulders, his mouth set in a firm line, his eyebrows low over his ice blue eyes as he studied the laptop screen.

Eventually he moved, shaking his head in disgust, and clicked the footage off. “I’m going to address this,” he said.

“In what manner?” she asked.

“What we discussed in the early hours of this morning,” he replied. “There is no way I’m going to allow everybody in here to expect you to bail them out of trouble like what I just watched. That guy you jumped on must have been twice your weight, if not more. You could have been seriously hurt.”

She shrugged one shoulder nonchalantly. “There’s nothing I can say to put you off this, is there?” she asked.

“No.”

Rolling her eyes, she uncrossed her legs and stood up. “I’m going for a coffee,” she said. “D’you want one?”

His eyes shifted to hers, and they softened immediately. He smiled. “Yes, please.”

She returned his smile, touched her mouth to his on the way past, and left the office. She sighed as she bounced down the stairs, running a hand through her hair. Knowing he only wanted to protect her, she felt like she would be abandoning her colleagues if he prevented them from looking to her when things got rough. Knowing also that he was on a mission, she decided her best bet was to sit back and give him free reign.

“Y’alright?” she chirped, crossing over to the bar.

The assembled staff replied in grunts and mumbles, caught up in what they were doing.

“Have you got a second, Amay?”

She turned to see Mason, the bouncer who’d been at the centre of the rammy the previous night. “Sure, what’s up?”

“I just wanted to say thanks,” he said. “I know boss is mad as hell, but thanks anyway.”

“Don’t worry about it,” she said with a wave of her hand. “He’s protective, that’s all. Although I should warn y’all that he’s going to pull me from jumping into fights like I’ve done up until now.”

“You’re letting him tell you what to do?” Dan asked incredulously.

She glared at him. “I’m respecting my partner’s wishes,” she shot back. “He’s not just my business partner, he’s my future husband. I’m not going to go against something that means so much to him.”

Dan shrugged and looked away, but remained silent.

“Amay, I’m not comfortable knowing that you won’t be our backup,” Vicky spoke up.

She considered her words. Thranduil would have a hairy fit if he heard, as this was exactly what he had been angry about. Unknown to her, he stood undetected at the top of the stairs, and was listening to the conversation below.

“I’ll still be your backup,” she said eventually. “But Thranduil doesn’t want me getting physically involved. I’ll still guide and direct you, I’ll still be here.”

Her employee snorted. “Tell that to the next person who has a bottle smashed over their head.”

“Then he or she needs to learn to look after themselves, and avoid being in that situation,” she replied. “Maybe you need self-defence lessons.” Two cups smacked onto the bar a little louder than she had intended.

Thranduil shook his head as he went back to the office.

“How ‘bout a few lessons?” Alina asked.

Amay looked at her, thinking. “It wouldn’t do any harm, I suppose,” she said. “Although if you don’t know how to do it by now, you never will.” The coffee remained on the bar to cool slightly as she made her way round onto the open floor. “Ok,” she said, taking a deep breath. “What’s the number one rule?”

“Take it outside,” Ray answered. He’d kept himself quiet after having Thranduil tear into him after the fight.

She nodded. “Right. The number two rule?”

“Watch each other’s backs,” Stevie said.

“Right. And I watch yours,” she said. “So at the very worst, nobody should be vulnerable, at any time. Each one of you watch the customers, and one another. Stay in touch always, never disappear without telling anyone where you’re going…Mason.” She pointedly arched an eyebrow in the bouncer’s direction. “No vanishing acts.”

“What about when we’re targeted directly?” Vicky asked, hauling herself up to sit on the bar.

Amay put her hands on her hips, her feet slightly apart. “Come at me,” she said with a challenging nod of her head.

“What?!”

“Come at me,” she repeated. “C’mon. Take a run at me like you’re going to rugby-tackle me.”

Vicky reluctantly slid down from the bar, looking a bit unsure of what she was expected to do.

“For fuck sake,” Amay muttered. “Ray-Ban…go for it.”

He shrugged his shoulders, then charged towards her. She swiftly stepped slightly off-centre, grabbing his shoulders as she dropped in height, using his momentum to throw him straight over her back. He crashed to an undignified heap behind her, spluttering and cursing.

“Use the attacker’s weight to your advantage,” she instructed. “He was moving so fast, the only thing stopping him would’ve been contact with me, but I didn’t want to stop him, because he was prepared for that. I used his speed to keep him going, just not in the way he would expect.”

A few heads nodded, murmers of agreement filtering around the gathered staff.

“What if we don’t see them coming at us?” Alina questioned.

“Then you’re fucked,” she replied. “That’s when you’re depending on someone else catching it.”

Upstairs, Thranduil watched through the mirrored window, shaking his head in anger. She shouldn’t have to show them basic defence moves, it should’ve been automatic when they started the job.

“Throw a punch at me,” she said to Ray, who had picked himself up from the floor and was dramatically dusting himself down.

He swung a half-hearted punch.

“Come on, ya pussy,” she said, exasperated. “That was a joke.”

“I don’t want to hit you, Peach,” he said.

She pursed her mouth, and kicked his shin.

“You cow!” he gasped, and launched at her.

She grabbed his wrist and blocked his blow, twisting him around and forcing his limb up his back. “Use the person’s move for your gain, not your loss,” she said.

“Can’t we just kick the shit out of them?” Mason asked with a laugh.

“No, you can’t,” she replied sharply, releasing her hold on Ray. “That’s not our policy, and it never has been. The trouble goes outside, off the premises. If you want to get into punch-ups, go join a boxing club. It doesn’t happen in here. We defend ourselves and each other, and we take the source of the problem out of the equation.”

A warm hand touched her back, just as she sensed Thranduil’s presence.

“I suggest anyone with that line of thought should maybe consider whether they are in the right line of employment,” he said behind her. “Our role here is to look after the customers who pay our wages, not get into altercations with them.”

“Yeah, what was that all about, moron?” Vicky hissed to Mason. “Sam would never have let you away with that shit.”

“And neither will I,” Thranduil said. “You probably already know, but let me clarify just in case. Amethyst will _not_ be called upon to break up trouble, as of now. I do not want to hear of any female member of staff being involved in fights or any physical confrontations. There are more than enough male staff who can, and will, step up to the line. Our females will be protected from any violence, instead of being dragged into it. Any questions?”

“What about if the women start trouble?” Stevie asked.

“Good point,” Amay conceded.

“The same applies,” Thranduil answered. “There are CCTV cameras everywhere in here, every move will be caught so nobody is open to abuse or false accusations. Only under _very extreme_ circumstances – and I emphasise extreme – should female staff become involved.”

“Sounds about right to me,” Vicky nodded, folding her arms. “Amay’s taken too many beatings in her time as it is.”

Amay glared at her.

“Which is going to stop,” he said smoothly. “Anyone who has any issues with the change is free to come and see me.”

Nobody said anything.

“Ok, back to work, guys,” Amay said after a short silence. “The sooner we finish here, the sooner we can go home until tonight’s shift.”

The team filtered away, and she turned to Thranduil.

“Masterful, much,” she murmered, a slight smile hovering.

He lifted an eyebrow. “I meant it,” he told her.

“I know you did,” she said with a laugh. “And so did they.”

“Something concerns me,” he said, lowering his weight onto one of the bar stools and lifting the coffee she’d made for him. “Dan’s attitude.”

“What about it?” she asked, curious.

_“You’re letting him tell you what to do?”_ he repeated.

“He’s a bullshitter,” she said. “Always has been. Don’t worry about him. Hey – were you listening?!”

He smirked.

“Those who eavesdrop never hear anything good, as this just proves,” she told him, and lifted her own cup.

“I am merely watching your interests,” he replied. “And your cute backside.”

She laughed, and his smirk widened to a grin.

“It’s so squeezable,” he informed her.

“You’re off your rocker,” she laughed.

“I want to squeeze it right now,” he said, lowering his voice to a seductive murmer. “I want to squeeze it and pull you against me.”

“Later, Romeo,” she quipped. “I have takings to sort out. D’you want me to show you how to do it?”

“I’d much prefer you show me how to do other things,” he muttered. “Naughty, dirty things. But alright. Show me what needs to be done.”

Trying unsuccessfully to wipe the smile from her face, she led the way back up to the office. He followed with a smirk of his own, knowing he could turn her to putty in his hands with only a few simple suggestions or remarks.


	27. Listening To Reason

** CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN **

****

The weeks rolled past.

Indigo’s flourished under Amay and Thranduil’s management, and the customer count continued to rise each week. They took on four more staff, and the business practically ran itself under Amay’s watchful eye.

Ray was put through his paces and settled in comfortably to his role as deputy manager, and it seemed like he’d been doing the job for years. Thranduil relaxed, knowing within himself that Amay’s choice had been correct.

The relationship between the couple deepened and strengthened, something which unknown to each other, surprised both of them. They always knew when their other half was around, even without speaking. They finished each other’s sentences, shared opinions, and had a similar wicked sense of humour.

“I wonder sometimes how much stronger we can become, as a pair,” Amay said one particular day. She was packing the last few things into a box, which Thranduil was waiting to take from her. “I mean, we’re so close already. Yet as time passes I feel the connection growing stronger and stronger.”

He smiled. “As do I,” he replied. “I can honestly say I’ve never known anything like it.”

“Do you believe in soul mates?” she asked.

“I do now,” he said. “I never used to, I thought it was all romantic nonsense, thought up by some hippy-new-age type of people, but now I’m not so sure. Now I think I do believe.”

She smirked, folding the top of the box over. “Do you know what really makes me wonder?”

He tilted his head in question.

“Right from the start, when we went out driving around the city that first night – I felt so comfortable with you, like I’d known you all my life. I wasn’t nervous, I wasn’t scared…I was relaxed and completely at ease. I don’t think I’ve ever been in someone’s company for the first time and felt like that before.”

“That’s good,” he commented. “That means I did something right on our first date.”

She laughed, handing him the box. “Was that a date?”

“Yes,” he replied. “I consider it a date. Spending the evening with a gorgeous woman, having intelligent conversation, and being knocked off my feet at how stunning and clever she was.”

“Do I know her?” she quipped, following him to the doorway.

He turned, giving her a derisive look. “Any regrets about leaving here?” he asked.

“What?” she squeaked. “No!”

“How long have you lived here?”

“Since I moved over,” she replied, glancing around the empty apartment. “Sam found it for me and helped me move in.” She smiled at her memories.

Thranduil placed a hand on her shoulder, leaning towards her and giving her a kiss on her cheek. “Sam will always be with you,” he said quietly.

She nodded. “I know. We don’t need the apartment to remember him.”

A short silence settled between them.

“Shall we go?” he said, his tone gentle.

She looked up at him. “Yes. Lead the way, Handsome.”

He laughed, and together they left the apartment for the last time.

*****

“How about now?”

Thranduil frowned, tilting his head. “Little bit higher on this end, sweetheart,” he replied.

Amay tilted the picture a little more. “Now?”

“More.”

“Dammit,” she muttered.

“That’s better,” he said, with a nod. “It’s straight now.”

She hopped off the couch, a gorgeous cream velvet one that she had fallen in love with the second she’d set eyes on it in the store. “I think it looks alright there,” she observed, folding her arms. “Right. I need to get to work. Do you want to stay here and keep going through this crap?”

“No. I’m coming to work,” he told her. “Why would I send you off yourself, you crazy woman?”

She laughed, tugging on her sneakers. “I just thought you might want to get in about this lot,” she said. “It can wait until tomorrow though, there’s nothing we really need urgently.”

The house was filled with boxes and bags from their recent move.

“The bed is made up, and that’s what we’ll be looking for when we come home,” he told her.

“I’m looking for it just now,” she murmered, hypnotised as he stretched his arms over his head, his top lifting and exposing his torso.

He lowered his arms and grinned. “Later, my insatiable little sex-pot,” he promised. “I do not trust the staff to run the club in our absence, not this early on.”

“Nah, Ray would keep them in line, but even he can be led astray when the notion takes him,” she said. “Have you seen my work top? Ah-ha.”

He held it between his fingers. “You would lose your head if it wasn’t screwed on,” he said dryly.

“I still do, and stop talking about screwing,” she replied. “I’m as horny as fuck tonight for some reason. It’s your fault.”

“How is it my fault?” he laughed, following her outside and locking the door.

“I don’t see anybody else messing around with my hormones and turning me on,” she said. “So it must be your fault.”

“Blame me for everything,” he muttered as he opened the car door for her.

“Take me to bed,” she murmered, pressing herself against his body and standing on her toes to kiss him. “Take me to bed and make me scream your name…”

He groaned as she trailed off in a husky whisper, his mouth crashing onto hers. He wound his arms around her, his hands roaming restlessly up and down her back. “You have no idea how appealing that sounds,” he gasped.

Her mouth left his and blazed a trail of red-hot kisses down his neck. She traced circles on his thighs with her fingers, drawing nearer to his groin with each movement. “I want to come in your mouth,” she whispered. “I want you to hold me down and fuck me until I can’t walk anymore…”

A shudder rippled up through his body, and he ground his erection against her. “You are a menace,” he muttered.

She giggled against his warm flesh, reluctantly pulling back from him. “Come on, if we’re going to work we need to go now, or else I’ll strip off right here and make you fuck me against the car.”

“Jesus Christ,” he spluttered. “You know how to make a man concentrate! Let’s go, I cannot resist you any more if you keep doing this to me.”

She grinned impishly as she climbed into the car, swinging her legs in as he closed the door muttering to himself. He glared at her as he settled himself into the driver’s seat, still muttering under his breath.

The evening progressed, with the usual busy shift. The club was packed as normal, and music blasted loud enough to wake the dead. Alcohol sales were through the roof, and at one point, Amay and Thranduil were both behind the bar helping five other staff to keep on top of demand.

Amay slid a drink over towards her customer, aware of a conversation going on to her right. Thranduil was serving a woman who was trying desperately to get into his underwear, and it took everything Amay had not to laugh. He couldn’t have been more disinterested if he had it tattooed across his forehead, but the woman wasn’t giving up.

Eventually she went over to him, grabbing him and tugging him down, hungrily kissing him. He grinned as she pulled back, and she winked in reply as she turned back to what she was doing.

_“Dancing, with tears in my eyes,”_ she sang as she filled drink after drink.

“Ha, when you dance Peach, everybody has tears in their eyes,” Ray quipped as he dived around her to pass a beer to someone.

“You’ll have tears in your eyes if you don’t shut your face,” she laughed. “I have better moves than you, just admit it.”

“That screams out for a dance-off!” he challenged. “Hey boss, can I steal your lady for a dance?”

Thranduil laughed and nodded, knowing the two of them were competitive.

The track changed to Joey B Ellis’s Go For It, and Amay crashed over the bar into a jaunty strut as she turned in circles around Ray. He immediately began to twist and turn, while she moved her body to match his.

“ _So go further than you’ve ever gone before, ‘cos I’m goin’ for mine,”_  she sang, in perfect rhythm to the beat. Two of the other bouncers joined them, and they synchronised their moves to each other.

Thranduil watched her, enraptured at the way she moved. Her body twisted and turned, her long hair swishing around her.

The song melded into a catchy remix of Snap’s Keep It Up, and her entire system seemed to blast to life with a refreshed energy. Those around her picked up on it as it permeated into them, and they continued with the same moves as one another.

“That’s me,” she laughed eventually, as The Power mixed in. “Some of us have work to do.”

“Sore loser!” Ray hollered at her back, but she just grinned as she jumped over the bar again.

She continued serving customers, keeping an ever watchful eye on her surroundings. After a while, the woman who had been trying to pick up Thranduil was back, and Amay sniggered to herself. He couldn’t have shown less interest if he tried, but she wasn’t going to give up. Deciding he could fend for himself, she busied herself with her customers.

The woman eventually either grew bored, or decided to re-think her strategy, as she went back to the group she had come in with. Amay watched as her partner exchanged angry words with her, but satisfied it wasn’t going to amount to anything, she ignored them. The guy had been in her sights for the last hour, his demeanour growing louder and more boisterous as his alcohol intake rose.

She made a mental note to observe from all angles, motioning Stevie and Mason over and instructing them to keep their distance, but to watch him. They nodded, and vanished into the crowd.

_“Keep on runnin’, baby,”_  she sang, shifting empty glasses over onto the shelf behind her for Gary to take away and wash. Lifting her eyes, she spotted Thranduil going through to the staff quarters.

An evil smirk appeared. The opportunity to grab a hot kiss had just presented itself to her, and she wasn’t going to waste it.

She grabbed Vicky’s arm. “I’ll be back in a minute,” she shouted in her ear over the racket.

“Where are you off to?” the barmaid laughed. “You’ve got that look in your eyes!”

“I need some mouth-to-mouth resuscitation,” she replied with a wink, and turned to follow her lover.

Her peripheral vision caught someone with purpose, and she turned her head to see the boyfriend of the woman who’d tried her luck. He was heading towards the staff quarters, looking unhappy.

Amay put her fingers in her mouth and whistled shrilly, getting the attention of several of her bouncers. Her sneakers moved swiftly as she ran from the bar over the floor towards the double doors, crashing through them with Ray, Mason, Dan, and Gary at her back. Thranduil had his back to her, talking on his cell phone.

The woman’s boyfriend was between them advancing on him rapidly, and had a beer glass raised over his head.

Amay surged forwards, launching herself into a tackle just as he lowered it, sending the two of them sprawling to the floor. Thranduil jumped in fright, whirling round to see what the hell had just happened.

All hell broke loose.

Amay turned into a volcano.

Ray dragged Thranduil out of harm’s way as the guy and Amay rolled around kicking and punching hell out of each other. He swung the glass at her but she rolled out of the way, kicking up and booting him on the underside of his jaw, then leapt to her feet.

“Amethyst!” Thranduil yelled, shoving Ray off him and leaping forwards.

The guy retaliated by throwing a solid punch, but it didn’t hit the intended target.

It hit Thranduil, who was trying to get to Amay.

She exploded, leaping over his back as he staggered, landing on the guy’s chest. His head cracked off the pool table behind him, and he roared in agony. She punched him in the nose, following through with her elbow. A sickening crack resounded. He swiftly responded by grabbing one of the pool cues which had fallen to the floor, swinging it down and connecting with her shoulder. Her breath left her as he kicked up and dislodged her, sending her backwards and he leapt on top of her. Before she knew what was happening, he smashed the beer glass down, and sheer instinct made her whip her head to the side, protecting her face.

Thranduil roared, and the dead weight on top of her disappeared.

She hauled herself up into a sitting position, blood pouring down her face and obscuring her vision. Wincing in pain, she held a hand to her head, trying to stem the flow.

Thranduil had turned into a demon. He lifted the attacker clean off his feet, throwing him hard against the pool table. Grabbing one of the pool balls, he clenched it in his fist and punched him across the jaw. Shattered teeth flew out of his mouth in a shower of blood as his head rocked back.

Thranduil hit him over and over.

The guy slid flat onto the floor, gasping and shaking.

Silence descended on those gathered.

The pool ball dropped to the floor, and Thranduil turned to Amay. Without saying a word, he bent down and lifted her to her feet, steering her out of the staff area and out the fire exit.

Ray and Mason exchanged glances, saying nothing.

*****

The hospital wasn’t too busy, so Amay was seen reasonably quickly and was discharged after she’d been cleaned up, stitched, and checked for concussion. Thranduil hadn’t said a word the entire time, and the drive back to the club was so tense, she curled up in her seat and closed her eyes.

He stopped off at Indigo’s and got out of the car, leaving her inside. He disappeared into the club, and was back within a few minutes, his stride angry and purposeful. Still not saying anything, he got back in and drove home.

Amay wasn’t sure who he was angrier with; her, the staff, or the guy who had caused the trouble to begin with. Deciding she wasn’t in the right frame of mind to get into an argument over it, she headed up to bed as soon as they were indoors.

Thranduil pulled the bedding back and fluffed the pillows as she shed her clothing, then covered her once she’d slid onto the welcoming softness of the mattress. He stood back up and left the room, closing the door at his back.

Amay sighed, closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.

*****

She woke up to a cold, empty bed. The clock read 03:04, and she was cold without her lover snuggled in beside her. She yawned, and dragged her robe on as she climbed out of bed.

She padded downstairs in her bare feet, rubbing her eyes against the burn of sleep.

Thranduil was seated on a bar stool at the breakfast bar in almost pitch darkness, a half empty glass of wine in front of him. Ice blue eyes lifted to hers as she entered the vast space, but he said nothing. He looked away from her.

She switched the light on and sat down on a stool across from him, waiting for a few minutes.

“I miss you,” she said softly, after a while.

He didn’t reply, but lifted the glass and downed the rest of the wine. The empty glass was dumped back onto the worktop.

Pursing her mouth, she folded her arms protectively around herself, wondering how to approach him. He’d erected a solid wall around himself, and she had no idea about how to begin climbing it.

“I ask you to do one thing for me,” he said after a long, tense silence. “One thing. And you couldn’t do it.”

She took a deep breath. “I understand you’re angry-“

“Angry? Angry?!” he shouted. “I’m beyond angry, Amethyst. I’m more at the stage of fucking furious! That whole escapade was like something out of a fucking movie. It was out of control!” He rose to his feet, pacing up and down the floor. “I don’t think you realise how serious this shit is right now.”

“I’m sitting here with stitches in my head, trust me – I _know_ how serious it is,” she snapped, tired, irritated, and sore. “It was me who took the brunt of it.”

He whirled round to face her, fury blazing in his eyes. “I stood and watched that low-life smash a fucking glass into your head,” he growled. “Think how that made me feel.”

“Think how I felt when I saw him lift the thing to smash it over your head!” she shouted, getting to her feet. “I can’t exactly say it thrilled me to bits either!”

“You should not have got involved!” he yelled, slamming his fists onto the worktop between them. “I’ve been over and over this, Amethyst. What part of _stay out of fights_ do you not understand? Do I speak a different language or something?!”

She narrowed her eyes. “Don’t fucking condescend to me,” she hissed. “Next time, you can take the damned attack and handle it yourself. I’m done trying to do the right thing.” She stormed out of the kitchen, slamming the door violently behind her. Her eyes burned as the need to cry reared up from nowhere.

All she’d done was protect the man she loved, and all he’d done was turn on her for it. She tore up the stairs, throwing her joggers and a hooded top on, grabbing the car keys and hurtling back down to the ground floor.

Thranduil hadn’t moved from the kitchen, and she fumed as she slammed the front door, storming over to the CRV and climbing in. The tyres spun in the gravel as she whipped it around, heading for the gate. The sooner she got out into the darkness for some space, the sooner she could clear her head.


	28. Forgiving

** CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT **

****

Rain lashed against the car windows as Amay drove, her temper slowly cooling down to a tolerable level. She stopped at a gas station and bought a coke and some painkillers, the pain slicing through her skull bad enough to floor a horse. The darkness surrounding her brought her a sense of inner peace, and she tried to clear her mind as she drove.

Holding the coke bottle between her knees, she unscrewed the cap and took a swig, swallowing two painkillers. She recapped the bottle and tossed it onto the back seat, sighing in fatigue.

She was tired.

Tired of everything bad that had happened over recent months, tired of fighting with Thranduil. Tired of trying to prove to herself that she was his equal, when he didn’t see the need for her to prove anything.

He was looking out for her, and she understood that, but no way could she have turned away from what had happened earlier. He meant everything in the world to her, and that meant she would realign the planets to look after him in any way she could. It seemed they were at loggerheads over the same issue; protecting each other.

Exhaustion was rapidly catching up with her, and she acknowledged that as she turned the car and headed for home. Hopefully, Thranduil would have calmed down by the time she got there, as she couldn’t face arguing with him again. It tore her apart when they fought, and all she wanted was to be held in his strong arms.

Just over a mile from home, she slowed the car as her headlights picked up something moving in front of her. She squinted through the window as the wipers flipped back and forth in their vain attempt to remove the water.

A tall figure was walking along the road in her direction, his arms crossed over himself in an effort to ward off the lashing rain. He had no jacket on, and his long blond hair was plastered to him, water cascading down him as he walked.

Amay’s heart stopped, and she pulled the car to a halt.

Thranduil opened the passenger door and climbed in, soaked to the skin.

“What the hell are you doing out in this weather, at this time of the morning?” she asked, shifting gears and moving off.

“Looking for you,” he replied, his voice low.

She swallowed away the lump in her throat. Even after an argument, he still cared enough to be out in the darkness and torrential downpour looking for her. She drove home, quiet in her astonishment at just how devoted he was.

He got out as she pulled to a stop in the drive, doing his usual custom of opening her door for her. He leaned over her trying to shield her from the rain as they hurried inside the house, where she immediately went through and grabbed a soft, warm towel.

He stood quietly, allowing her to dry his hair, his eyes watching her as she wiped the moisture from his face and neck. She lifted her eyes to his, seeing the sadness that lurked in them.

Stepping closer, she closed her eyes and touched her mouth to his in a gentle kiss, needing to mend the fractured connection. Who was right and who was wrong didn’t matter; the god who stood before her was the only thing that mattered.

His lips were cold, but soon warmed up as he moved them against hers, awakening a deep pang of desire in her abdomen. She breathed through her nose, twisting and turning her head to deepen the angle of the kiss. Her tongue danced slowly with his, almost hesitantly, as though silently asking him to reciprocate. He did, teasing movements that made every cell in her body sparkle to life in awareness.

His warm mouth rubbed against hers with erotic softness, enticing her to accept whatever he chose to give her, and she submitted without a second thought. She lifted her hands and undid the buttons of his shirt, peeling the wet fabric from him and pushing it down his arms. His skin was cool to touch, her hands rubbing over his chest, back, and arms to bring heat. Lifting his hair over one shoulder, she kissed her way down his neck, licking and caressing the soft flesh she’d exposed. His pulse hammered beneath her mouth, his breathing heavy in her ear.

He unzipped her hooded top and she shrugged out of it, murmering softly to herself as he tossed it on the floor and she continued to kiss his neck. His chest expanded as he inhaled deeply, his hands tangling in her long hair and holding her tighter to him. The warmth from her body passed through into his, warming both his flesh and his soul. He needed her, physically and emotionally.

Walking her backwards, he guided her through to the lounge, not breaking his kiss as he reclaimed her mouth. The back of her legs bumped against the couch, and he pushed her joggers down her thighs as she lowered herself onto the soft surface, taking him with her. She kicked her feet free from the garment, working his jeans down over his hips. The sodden fabric clung to him, and he gently pushed her hands away, removing them himself. She murmered against his mouth as he settled between her legs, the tip of his erection nudging at her entrance. Lifting her hips slightly, her head fell back and she arched into him with a soft groan as he pushed inside.

She felt complete. She felt whole again. She felt like this was what Mother Nature had intended when she had created him and sent him into her life.

His mouth travelled down her throat placing hot, wet kisses as he thrust slowly into her, each drive home resonating waves of intense pleasure through her body. Her hands slid under his arms and gripped the back of his shoulders as she arched closer, her breasts flattened against his chest. She lifted her knees higher, his thrusts going deeper.

Soft gasps and pants filled the air as they moved together, each kiss healing the rift between them, each thrust bringing them closer together. Warm caresses healed hurts, gentle murmers ironed out the creases that had existed earlier.

Amay chased his mouth, desperate for his kiss, and whimpered with need as she found it. Everything in the whole world centred on him, she just needed to find a way to show him that. She crossed her arms over his upper back as his steady, powerful thrusts pushed her towards ecstasy. Her legs trembled around his hips as he rocked into her, the need to come tugging insistently at her insides. His flesh felt heated under her hands, his mouth warm as it plundered hers.

Their orgasms were seconds apart, both of them bursting through barriers of hurt to collapse against each other in a single moment of shared bliss. Thranduil panted in her ear as his head rested against her neck, his arms tight around her. She leaned her head back against the couch, closing her eyes, breathing hard. Her heart beat in a frantic rhythm in her chest as it pumped her blood through her exhausted body. Turning her head, she pressed her mouth to his cheek.

“I love you,” she whispered against him in a soft kiss.

He tightened his hold on her. “I love you too,” he whispered back.

*****

Amay awoke to daylight filtering in through the curtains, and frowned at the intrusion of brightness. She wrinkled her nose in disgust, snuggling closer to the warm, bare chest she leaned on.

At some point through the night, Thranduil had lifted her from the couch and carried her upstairs, settling her sleeping form into bed and curling into her. Even in the depth of sleep, she had been unconsciously aware, and had rolled onto him as soon as he lay down, wrapping her arms around his waist and tucking her head into the curve between his neck and shoulder.

A large, warm hand slowly caressed the back of her head, making her open her eyes again.

Ice blue eyes gazed down at her as she lifted her head to look up at him, and a thousand unspoken words passed between them.

“I’m sorry,” he said quietly.

She shook her head. “You have nothing to be sorry for,” she replied. “But I feel that I do.”

It was his turn to shake his head in denial. “No, you do not. You were looking out for me, and I overreacted. I just do not wish any harm to come your way, my love. Nothing more, nothing less.”

“I know,” she whispered, settling back onto his chest and listening to the steady thump-thump of his heartbeat. “I always seem to annoy you, no matter how hard I try not to.”

“I’m not annoyed with you,” he exhaled. “Well I am, but not much. I’m furious at the others, though. They stood back and did nothing.” His hand dropped to her back, where he trailed his fingertips up and down her spine.

“They probably know from previous experience not to get involved unless I tell them to,” she murmered, hypnotised by his touch. “It wouldn’t be the first time one of them had jumped in and I’d taken their head off afterwards for it.”

He frowned. “I do not understand, and I have been going over and over it in my head all night,” he said.

She looked back up at him, her heart missing a beat at the breath-taking view she had of him. “I have to prove I can handle things myself,” she said. “If I need help, it’s there, but only if I ask for it.”

He lifted his blue eyes to stare up at the ceiling above them.

“Baby, listen to me,” she said, propping herself up onto one elbow. “That idiot last night was going to deck you with that glass. I had to stop him. You’re too precious Thranduil, and if you can’t see that, then I don’t know what to say. I need you, I love you, and I’ll do whatever it takes to protect you.”

He looked back at her, reading the emotion that was clear in her eyes. “I know, sweetheart,” he whispered, lifting his hand and resting it against her cheek.

She turned her head, closing her eyes as she pressed a kiss to his warm palm.

“But the world came to a stop when he turned on you,” he said. “He could’ve done some serious damage baby, he could have blinded you, killed you even.”

She closed her eyes briefly, aware that what he was saying was true. “I know.”

“Why didn’t you shout to warn me?” he pleaded. “Or send the others, instead of tackling him yourself? Why?”

“I don’t trust anyone to look after you the way I do,” she replied. “I’m more likely to succeed, because you’re everything to me. I have more reason to look after you than they do. Besides, it was instinct.”

He moved his hand to the back of her neck, gently tugging her towards him for a kiss. “I need to pee,” he said as they broke apart. “And I need to eat. Come downstairs with me; I’ll make you breakfast.”

She nodded, moving away from him and pulling her robe around her. “I’ll put the kettle on,” she said, and he nodded over his shoulder as he headed towards the en-suite bathroom. Taking a deep breath, she found herself gazing at his naked form as he crossed the carpet, and she turned and left the room.

He appeared in the kitchen a few minutes later, tying the sash of his own robe. The kettle had just boiled, so she busied herself making two coffees as he prepared toast and scrambled eggs for them. Before long, they were seated at the long dining table; him at the top, and she adjacent to him.

“Thankyou for looking for me through the night,” she said, pushing her toast around on the plate. “You should’ve stayed here though, the weather was wild.”

His gaze met hers. “I was worried about you,” he told her. “And I didn’t know if you were going to come back.”

“Huh?” She frowned. “Why would I not? I just needed space to clear my head, that’s all.”

“I was scared you wouldn’t come home to me,” he said, looking down at his plate.

“Thranduil, sometimes I get angry or frustrated, and I need to take off to cool down. But I will _always_ come back to you, no matter what,” she said. “My temper explodes and sometimes it’s better if I clear away for a while. I’d never stay away from you, I couldn’t.”

Rays’s words to her months earlier about insecurity came back to her, and she realised he had been right.

“What have I done to make you think I’d not return?” she asked curiously.

He shrugged. “Nothing. I just worry that I don’t have what it takes to keep you happy.”

“Oh my God,” she whispered, rising from her chair. She swung her leg over him, settling onto his thighs and clasping her hands behind his neck. “You need to get that shit out of your head. You make me so happy, so fucking happy it feels like it’s illegal or something. If anything, I worry that I can’t keep you happy and satisfied.”

“You shouldn’t be thinking like that,” he told her.

“But look at you,” she pointed out. “You’ve got looks that would rock the most secure marriage, you’ve got style, you carry yourself with confidence, and in bed, you could melt the polar ice caps without even trying. How the hell can I keep up with that?”

Unshed tears gathered in his eyes. “You do not have to keep up with anything,” he whispered. “Without you, I am nothing. I have nothing. My life means nothing. I have told you before, you gave meaning to my existence, and I can’t function when we aren’t together.”

She closed her eyes, pressing her forehead against his as she breathed deeply. “I don’t think you’re aware of the effect you have,” she said. “On me, and people around you.”

His hands interlocked at her waist, his rolling thumbs caressing her. “You see me in a way that I don’t,” he said.

“Even Ray wants to get up close and personal with you,” she giggled. “That should tell you something, it’s not just women you affect.”

“Well that’s something he’s going to have to get right out of his head, although there won’t be any more distraction for him,” he said.

She frowned. “How d’you mean?”

“I fired the four of them,” he said, and her jaw dropped in horror.

“Thranduil! They’ve been with us for years! They were loyal to us,” she gasped. “You can’t just fire them.”

“They stood and watched you lose to a guy who was much heavier than you, stronger than you, and intoxicated,” he reminded her. “And Ray prevented me from being at your side – he sealed his fate with that alone.”

“I told him weeks ago to keep you away from the carnage that goes on in there at all costs,” she said quietly. “He was following my orders babe, because he knows if you’d been hurt last night I’d have destroyed him. It’s not fair to punish him because he did what I asked.”

He shook his head as he lowered it, and she rested her cheek on his hair. “I cannot get the image out of my head,” he whispered. “You being attacked by a drunken sociopath, him smashing the glass over you…” His voice cracked as he trailed off, and he lifted tear-filled eyes to hers. “You are so precious, my love. I can’t get it out of my head.”

A tear escaped and trailed down his cheek, so she leaned towards him and gently kissed it away. “Nothing’s going to happen to me,” she whispered. “I promise. I’ll be ok. I’m always ok.”

He turned his head, seeking her mouth. She relaxed into his kiss, and felt him slowly relaxing along with her.

“When did you fire them?” she asked, pulling back a little.

“When we came back from the hospital,” he answered. “I left Stevie to lock up, I just had to get out of there and be with you.”

“I thought you looked as mad as hell when you came back to the car,” she murmered. “Babe, please think over what you’ve done. Those guys are our friends, we’ve been through so much together. And they were doing what I told them to; if they’d gone against me, I’d have fired them for that.”

He _hmm_ ’d to himself, resting his chin on her shoulder and rocking her from side to side in a soothing motion. “I will think about it, but I will promise nothing,” he told her.

“That’s good enough for me,” she replied.

*****

Thranduil pursed his mouth, staring at the four forms seated before him, a nervous silence hovering over them. He paced slowly back and forth, his hands behind his back, not taking his eyes off them. None of them would look up at him.

He finally glanced towards Amay, who lifted one eyebrow in silent reproach.

“You have Amethyst to thank for even being here,” he said eventually, coming to a halt and leaning against the desk, folding his arms. “If the decision was mine alone, none of you would have set foot in this building again.”

Ray glanced at him, turned red, and lowered his eyes again.

“I would have thought that the change in rules which I instilled would have had an effect, but obviously my words were ignored. It’s time I took a more prosaic method of approach.”

Amay waited, twirling her pen in between her index and middle finger.

“I will return all of you to your jobs,” he said. “If Amethyst comes to harm once, whoever is responsible – either directly or indirectly – will be fired immediately, and there will be no going back. Is that clear enough?”

Four heads nodded collectively.

“For what it’s worth, I have pointed out that you were following a pattern set in the past,” Amay spoke up. “The pattern being that nobody jumps in unless they’re called on for backup. That too, has to change. The fact that Thranduil instated a rule of women not being caught up in brawling should really have superseded that, but now it’s neither here nor there. What’s done is done, and the end result turned out how I wanted it to.”

Her lover glared at her over his shoulder, but kept his observations to himself.

“Go on, get your arses out of here,” she sighed, dropping the pen onto the desk. “I expect you back tonight, business as usual. Don’t be late.”

They mumbled their thanks and farewells as they left the office, leaving Thranduil and Amay alone. She lifted her eyes to his as he turned on the polished surface, gazing down at her.

“You could persuade priests to question their religion,” he told her. “You could convince the pyramids that they’re molehills.”

She frowned in confusion.

He leaned towards her, so that only an inch separated them. “You have me wrapped right around your little finger, my sexy woman,” he whispered, and brushed his full mouth over hers. “I truly think you could convince me of anything if you put your mind to it.”

She murmered in pleasure as he kissed her, leaning into him and relishing the touch of his lips on hers. “I only want to convince you of one thing,” she whispered. “And it’s that you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me, you’re the most important presence in my whole life.”

“As you are to me,” he told her. “And you have been since the day I set eyes on you.”


	29. Digging Into The Past

** CHAPTER TWENTY NINE **

****

The four bouncers returned to work, and kept their heads down as they worked hard to stay under Thranduil’s radar. He kept a watchful eye from a distance, making sure they didn’t put a foot out of line.

Amay kept an eye on Thranduil, mentally shaking her head at how determined he was to make his point, but understanding why.

“You need to let up on the guys,” she said softly, handing him a coffee as she passed. “They’re scared to breathe around you in case you take their heads off.”

“They are lucky I do not,” he observed as he took a drink. “But I’m not going over that again. What is done is done; hopefully they will have learned from it.”

She threw herself down onto the padded chair, frowning as she went over a bunch of invoices. “I think they have well and truly got the message,” she said. “But like I said at the time, if anything had happened to you, I would’ve held them responsible and sacked them anyways.”

He lowered his cup, lifting a hand and placing it gently on the top of her head. “How’s your stitches?” he murmered, leaning over her to examine them.

“Fucking irritating,” she replied. “My head’s sore and itchy at the same time. I’m dying to wash my hair, but I can’t until they come out.”

“No, I’m afraid you’ll have to wait,” he said. A frown arched down over his eyes. “Have you been scratching?”

“No,” she replied slowly.

His frown deepened.

“Ok, a wee bit,” she sighed. “It’s driving me mad.”

“I’ll get you some of that dry shampoo or something,” he said. “Or maybe I can wash your hair, washing around the stitches.”

“You’d do that for me?” she asked, looking up at him.

“Of course I would,” he said. “Why would I not? What kind of a question is that?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know. It’s just not something a man would normally offer to do, that’s all.”

He leaned towards her, so only an inch separated them. His ice blue eyes gazed into hers, holding her his prisoner. “I will wash your hair tonight, and we are going to have a talk,” he said softly.

Something in the way he said it sent shivers down her spine.

*****

Amay closed her eyes as she leaned her back against the bath, and relaxed as the warm water flooded through her hair. Thranduil held the shower nozzle with one hand, the other working through the lengths that trailed down into the bath.

“You have extremely thick hair,” he commented, working the conditioner through to the ends and rinsing it out, being careful to stay away from her stitches.

“Mmm,” she murmered. “It’s a pain in the arse sometimes, especially when the climate is damp. It frizzes up and takes on a life of its own. And straightening it is a nightmare.”

Her whole body settled into a peaceful state as he worked, his touch gentle and soothing. The spray ceased and he lifted a warm towel, and carefully dried the excess water from her.

“This must take hours to dry naturally,” he said, almost to himself.

“It does,” she laughed. “I never blow-dry it, because I feel the straighteners do enough heat damage without adding to it. It’ll be dry by the morning…maybe.”

He shared her smile, and helped her to sit back upright as he wrapped the towel around the lower lengths of her hair. “I put the kettle on before we came in here, so it shouldn’t take much to re-heat it and make a coffee,” he said.

“Great, I could do with one,” she replied, and twisted round to stand.

“Go and put your pyjamas on, I’ll make it,” he told her.

She complied, going back into the kitchen in a much more comfortable state of dress. Thranduil held a cup out to her as she passed, and she took it from him.

Her fingers hadn’t quite gripped tightly enough and as he removed his hand, the cup slipped from her hold and smashed against the floor, black coffee bursting all over the tiles and the units. Thranduil whipped round as she screamed and jumped back.

“I’m sorry, it was an accident!” she gasped.

He stood as still as a statue, staring at her.

Pure terror looked back at him. Fear. Dread. Panic.

He blinked, unsure how to move so as not to scare her further. “Baby, we need to talk,” he said softly. “And we need to talk now.”

She swallowed, not blinking or breaking his gaze.

He sighed quietly, turning to make her another coffee. This time he carried her cup with his in one hand, using the other to guide her through to the lounge. She sat on the couch, folding her legs underneath her, and he took the chair opposite. Crossing one knee over the other, he leaned his chin on one hand as he studied her.

“Talk to me,” he said, his tone gentle and coaxing.

“About what?” Her wall of defence was well and truly erected around her.

“Why you’re so jumpy,” he said. “What happened?”

“Nothing,” she replied.

“Amethyst, be honest with me. I love you unconditionally, so you owe me that much,” he chided gently. “Nothing you tell me will ever leave this room, and it will never make me think less of you. So talk to me.”

She heaved a sigh, leaning her head back on the couch and staring at the ceiling. “I don’t know what you want me to say,” she murmered, and looked over at him. “What d’you want to know?”

“How much abuse did that bastard put you through?” he questioned.

She snorted softly. “Too much. But I can’t put the blame solely at his door; I allowed it, I put up with it. So in effect, I asked for it.”

He frowned. “I don’t know who came up with that reasoning, but it’s wrong,” he said.

“But it makes sense,” she pointed out. “If it was that insufferable, I’d have left long before I did.”

“Love makes people do strange things, things they wouldn’t normally do or tolerate,” he told her. “You said he was physically abusive - mentally abusive as well?”

“Both,” she answered. “The emotional abuse started first, just small things like I was lucky to be with him, that kind of crap. Then it turned to how stupid I was, how uneducated, how he was so much more intelligent than me. I’m not a stupid person academically, I did well at school and uni.”

Thranduil frowned as he took a drink of his coffee. “I know you’re not stupid,” he said. “And you know it. So why listen to it?”

She shrugged. “I suppose if you hear something often enough, it becomes the norm. You expect it, you believe it.”

He continued to watch her. “Go on,” he prompted.

“The verbal abuse turned to an odd slap here, an occasional punch there. A kick thrown in when he felt like it,” she said on a sigh. “Again, I didn’t leave.”

“Because you believed you wouldn’t find someone better,” he said softly.

“Yes.” She nodded, taking a deep breath. “His temper was explosive. The angrier he was, the more nervous I became, so the more fuck-ups and accidents I would have. It was a vicious circle that I couldn’t break.”

“You’re such a strong woman, Amethyst…why did it take such a horrible thing to make you leave?” he asked.

“I didn’t believe in myself,” she told him, tears in her eyes. “My mother fucking worshipped the idiot, even she was telling me I was lucky he put up with me.”

Anger flashed across his face, but he masked it quickly.

“She blamed me for every wrong thing he did, every time he hit me, she said I must’ve asked for it,” she said, gazing into her coffee. “Every bruise that appeared, she’d ask what I did to annoy him this time.”

Thranduil said nothing, just continued to watch her.

“I lost count how many times I had to go to the emergency room,” she said, her tone indicating she wasn’t in the room any more, she was miles away. “A black eye, broken fingers, fractured cheekbone, stitches…the nurses were sick of seeing me there. They called the cops every time, but I wouldn’t press charges. Even the cops were pissed off wasting their time.”

“You were scared,” he reasoned.

She nodded. “When I found out I was pregnant, I thought maybe that would make him grow up a bit, maybe we could fix whatever had gone wrong between us,” she said. “But he went crazy because I lost my sex drive because I was so sick all the time, and I was dog tired. He made me do it once, then told me I was rubbish in bed anyway…that was the night he broke my nose. I left that night.”

Thranduil moved swiftly, uncrossing his legs and putting his cup down as he leaned over and grasped her upper arms. “Made you do what?” His tone was stern and cold.

She shook her head as her tears started to flow silently. “I begged him to stop, I was screaming because it was sore, but he wouldn’t,” she whispered. “He just kept going.” Her breathing increased as she began to panic. “He wouldn’t listen to me. After he was done, he told me I was the worst person he’d ever been to bed with.”

Thranduil slid from the chair onto his knees, dragging her into his arms so she sat astride him, her face tucked against his neck. Anger practically steamed out of his pores. “Do _not_ waste your energy thinking about it,” he told her as he held the back of her head in a gentle touch. “Baby, you see what you do to me…you just have to look at me and I’m as hard as concrete…he was talking bullshit to bring you down even further. I want to tear his head off for what he put you through, my love…you never deserved any of it. None.”

She sniffed, tightening her arms around his neck.

“Are you listening to me?” he asked softly, and she nodded without answering. “I mean it. Everything he said or did, try to put it out of your mind and forget it. Leave it in the past. He doesn’t matter anymore. I love you beyond anything else, and I worship the ground you walk on. You are precious beyond anything I can describe…it breaks my heart to think you were treated so badly.”

She closed her eyes, resting her cheek against his shoulder. “Now maybe you can understand why I worry about not being able to keep you happy,” she whispered. “You’re such an amazing, caring person, you’re drop-dead gorgeous, and I couldn’t believe you would even look at me, never mind be interested in me. Sometimes I still can’t get my head around it.”

She felt his chest expand as he took a deep breath.

“I wish I could get inside your head and reprogram it,” he replied. His hand rubbed soothingly up and down her back as he talked. “I would let you see yourself the way I see you. I see you as a sexy, gorgeous woman, who is as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside. You’re fiery, passionate, devoted, determined, and you don’t let the world grind you down. You stood by Sam and that’s something he never forgot, and neither will I.”

“Sam never judged me for anything,” she said.

“And I never will,” he told her. “Amethyst, you took my safe, organized world and shook it until I didn’t know one fucking end from the other. One look at you and I was lost…one kiss and all common sense went out of the window. Every time I touched you, I felt like I was losing my grip on reality. And the night I flew back over and we ended up in bed together..? Jesus Christ…” He trailed off, shaking his head as he was unable to find the right words. “Nobody has _ever_ turned me on so fast, or made me so hard, or rocked my world the way you do. You do not know the war I fight every time we make love, for me to make you come first. You do not know how hard it is for me to hold out, to make sure you have pleasure first.”

She pulled back with a frown, studying him. “So why do you?”

“Because I love you so much,” he whispered. “I believe a man should spend as long as it takes pleasing his lover before taking his own pleasure, there is no room for selfishness when you love someone the way I love you.”

Her gaze dropped to his mouth, and unable to stop herself, she leaned forwards and pressed her own to his. “I’m really lucky to be with you,” she said softly. “And I mean really lucky.”

He shook his head, framing her face with his hands. “I am the lucky one, Amethyst. The connection I feel with you runs so deep, so passionate, I cannot explain it, I do not understand it.”

“Maybe we shouldn’t question what we have,” she said. “Maybe it’s there to be lived and enjoyed, rather than analysed.”

He nodded. “I agree. And I do have a temper, I admit that. I get angry. But I promise you with all my heart and soul I will _never, ever_ strike out at you, or punish you. That isn’t what love does.”

Her gaze faltered slightly, and he tipped a finger under her chin.

“Stop that,” he said softly, knowing she had gone back in time to when she’d slapped him. “I’m talking about a man hitting a woman. It’s not going to happen in this house, or anywhere where we live, do you understand? I will never hit you, or make you do anything you do not wish to do. I will never destroy your confidence, or bring you down.”

She nodded slowly. “I believe in you,” she whispered.

“Good,” he replied, brushing his full mouth over hers. “Because I am going to spend the rest of our lives showing you just how precious you are to me.”

*****

Thranduil slept little that night.

His mind was on what Amay had told him, and he sighed to himself in the darkness as he mulled over her words. She was sound asleep beside him, half draped over his chest with her arms around him, one leg thrown over his. He lightly traced patterns on her back as he went over their conversation in his head.

Her mother had even defended the low-life?? What in heaven’s name was that all about? His own mother would move mountains to make him happy, and he took it for granted that all mothers did that for their children.

Apparently not.

Amay hadn’t mentioned her mother before their earlier conversation, and now he understood why. He’d never asked, assuming she would talk about her family whenever the subject came up. Now that it had, he wasn’t happy. Not only had she been abused by her former partner, but her parent had had a hand in it too. No wonder she was so strong and self-reliant. Her stubborn, headstrong nature made sense to him, the more he thought about it.

She’d had to fight for every ounce of self-respect she had, and he acknowledged she’d made a damned good job of it. Sam must’ve been like a guiding light in her life when she’d met him, as he had loved and took care of her like the daughter he never had. He had praised her constantly, nurtured her, and in turn she’d given him 100% loyalty and commitment.

He understood why she had been so determined to stay with him on his final journey – it had been her way of saying goodbye and thanking him for everything he had done for her. Sam had told him quietly that he was content to die knowing that he had handed her over to him, and he expected him to take care of her and love her the way she deserved.

He smiled as he recalled the tantrum she’d thrown when she had been trying to move one of the seating booths from Indigo’s shortly after it had been trashed, the cursing and swearing at Ray as he’d tried to stop her, the bull-headed determination to physically move something that was at least ten times her body weight.

The courage she’d shown when she’d tackled the intruders came to mind. The mentally and physically beaten woman who’d curled into a corner and backed away from him, terrified of him and scared she’d disappointed him.

Anger flamed to life in his soul.

She could never disappoint him. She’d acted without rational thought, trying to protect what was his and to prove that she would go to bat for him without a second thought. Wondering if he could ever undo the damage that her ex had done, he closed his eyes and pressed a kiss on top of her head as she flexed against him, sighing in sleepy contentment and relaxing again.

 


	30. Taking Control

** CHAPTER THIRTY **

****

“I do not understand how people can eat so much processed garbage,” Thranduil muttered, tossing a frozen pack of meat pies back into the freezer. “If they knew what was put into these, they wouldn’t consider them fit for the rubbish bin.”

Amay grinned, leaning on the cart. “Sometimes it’s quick and easy just to shove in the microwave,” she explained. “Sometimes it’s a god-send when you’re pushed for time.”

He frowned. “Nonsense. There is no substitute for good, healthy food. Not this junk.”

She rolled her eyes, grabbing a bag of frozen peas. “Not all of us are gourmet chefs,” she told him. “I hate, loathe, and detest cooking. Always have.”

He turned to her. “So what did you eat before you met me?”

She shrugged. “Anything with cheese,” she replied with a laugh. “Fries and cheese, pasta and cheese, cheeseburgers, that kind of thing.”

“I think you are part mouse,” he muttered. He frowned, glancing around the store. “I do not like this shop.”

“Why not?” she questioned. “There’s nothing wrong with it.”

Drawing her a sideways look, he proceeded along the aisle, saying nothing. He placed various items in the cart; oranges, peaches, bananas, grapes, fresh meat, bread that was just out of the oven and smelled delicious, and bottles of water.

Amay raised her eyebrows at the water. “You pay for water?” she demanded. “Christ almighty..”

“It’s pure, it’s filtered,” he replied over his shoulder.

She didn’t answer, her insides clenching and throbbing at his profile, his long hair trailing over his shoulders and down his back.

He turned his head to meet her eyes. “Stop drooling, sweetheart,” he said with a grin.

“Are you a mind-reader or something?” she retorted. “Got eyes in the back of your head, dammit.”

“Funny how I never needed them until I met you,” he quipped.

“Funny ha-ha. You should do stand-up comedy for a living,” she muttered.

“You need to buy pads,” he said, ignoring her sarcastic comment. “You don’t have a lot left.”

She frowned. “How do you know?”

He stopped, turning and leaning on the cart, preventing her from moving. “Do I look stupid?” he asked rhetorically. “I looked in the bathroom this morning. The pack is almost finished. You’ll be needing them before the end of this week.”

She blinked. “I couldn’t have told you that,” she replied, with a shake of her head. “What are you, a walking, talking calendar?”

“I see everything,” he said dryly. “I observe things. I remember things.”

She muttered away to herself as she guided the cart towards the hygiene aisle, tossing a bulk pack of pads in. Thranduil promptly took it out, examined it with a frown, and replaced it with a much more costly brand.

“What?” she demanded.

“Do not use economy brands when it comes to something so important,” he said.

She took the pack back out and placed it back on the shelf, reaching for the one she had originally chosen.

He gripped her wrist, holding it in an iron grip. Ice blue eyes stared into hers. “I mean it, Amethyst,” he said softly.

She took a deep breath. “I always use those ones.”

“I know. And they’re crap,” he replied. “I take the trash out, remember? Use the decent ones.”

“I am not getting into an argument with you over sanitary pads,” she grunted. “Let me go, dammit.”

He didn’t move.

“Thranduil!”

He released her, and she swiped her chosen brand, throwing them on top of the shopping with a tut of disgust. Saying nothing, he lifted his chosen pack as she turned away, holding it behind his back as they proceeded towards the check stands.

Amay loaded the items onto the conveyor belt and proceeded to the far end to place them back into the cart as they were scanned. She was immersed in her task and didn’t see her pack of pads whipped off the belt and tossed into a display of chocolate bars, to be replaced with the more expensive ones, until they came through at the end.

“Hey!” she cried, her temper rising.

Thranduil ignored her, and took his wallet from his pocket.

“No chance,” she said, shoving her weight against him and handing her credit card to the cashier. He merely reached over her and took it back, handing his own over instead.

The cashier tried not to laugh as they started bickering.

“You need to stop this,” Amay said, her hands on her hips as she glared at him. “And I don’t want those bloody pads.”

“Tough,” he replied.

She opened her mouth to let rip with a torrent of abuse, and he silenced her by swooping down and crushing his mouth over hers, preventing her from speaking. All rational thought left her as he worked his magic, her knees weakening and the butterflies in her stomach going on the rampage.

“I win,” he said softly as he pulled back with a smirk.

The cashier grinned as she handed the card back. “Pay for my groceries too, if you like, I won’t argue,” she laughed.

Thranduil smiled as he tucked the card back into his wallet, pocketing it, and guided Amay out of the store. Outside, they loaded the car.

“Why do you insist you’re right about everything?” he asked, leaning on the edge of the car.

“Because nine times out of ten, I am,” she quipped. “You asked.”

“I’ve watched you when we are shopping,” he said. “Not just this time. Previous times too. You always go for cheaper brands.”

She slammed the trunk closed, turning to him. “Maybe that’s because I budget within my means,” she said. “And before you even think of going there Mister, it’s not going to change. I’m happy with what I pick.”

“You may be, but I am not,” he said.

“You don’t have to wear the damned pads,” she told him, pushing the empty cart towards him.

“Maybe not,” he conceded. “But I see how much you suffer, and having to get up and change every half an hour because you’ve chosen absolute rubbish for protection does not help you, so therefore I have a say on the subject.”

“Holy shit,” she muttered, climbing into the CRV. “Do you have an opinion on everything?”

“Yes,” he replied as he slid into the passenger seat.

“Figures,” she said under her breath. “Well, I need to make a quick stop on the way home, so you can have an opinion about that as well.” She grinned at him, and steered out of the parking lot.

*****

Amay grinned to herself, inspecting the small bottle she held in her hand. Thranduil was in for a surprise.

She padded quietly through to the bedroom, where he sat with his back to her, reading, wearing only a pair of pyjamas.

Perfect.

She slid a soft mask over his eyes, and he chuckled.

“Got plans, have you?” he asked.

“Definitely,” she replied, and kissed his shoulder. “Lie down for me.”

He took a deep breath, tossing the book aside and swinging himself around so he lay supine on top of the bed. She knelt next to him, running her hands up and down his arms, before grasping his wrists and forcing them over his head. A silky scarf wound around his wrists as she bound him to the rail of the headboard, making sure the knot was tight.

“Ooo,” he murmered, grinning as she leaned over him.

“You’ll say more than _ooo,_ ” she promised, brushing her lips over his cheek, down his nose and finally over his mouth. He parted his lips in expectation, but she withdrew with an unseen smirk.

Settling back on her heels, she uncapped the bottle, pouring a little oil onto the palm of her hands, and rubbed both together to heat up the liquid. His muscles twitched as she swept both hands over his shoulders and down his chest, following the contours of his body.

“Watermelon,” he said, his voice husky.

“Mm-hmm,” she agreed. Her tongue licked a path down over his left shoulder. “Edible watermelon.”

He inhaled deeply, waiting to see what she had in store for him. The bed shifted and he felt her weight over his thighs as she sat astride them, her hands working down his sides and over his stomach. His heartbeat thumped erratically under her fingers as she wound her way back up, caressing the oil into the soft skin of his neck and throat, following her path with her mouth. The lubricant tasted sweet, and she took her time licking it from him, before pouring more into her hands.

He turned his head to give her room to explore, as she kissed and licked her way under his ear, down his neck, and across his throat, heading down over his chest. The flesh was warm and quivered under her lips as she tasted and teased. Easing herself a little lower, she swirled her tongue around one of his nipples, and he groaned deep in the back of his throat.

Smiling to herself, she sucked him the way he had often done with her, causing his breathing to change. She turned and did the same with his other nipple, her hands swirling circles over his abdomen and sides at the same time. Glancing up at him, she smiled as she saw him bite his lower lip.

She sat back up again, using more oil over his stomach and down to the low waistband of his pyjamas. His erection already stood to full attention, but she ignored it.

For now.

Easing the silky fabric down past his hips, she whipped them off and heaved them over her shoulder, turning her attention to his long legs. The muscles in his thighs flexed as she massaged her way down the insides using firm, sweeping movements. Again, she licked her way down, going down one thigh to his knee and then back up the other.

His hips shifted restlessly.

“Just relax, and enjoy,” she whispered, licking over his stomach again.

“That’s asking the impossible,” he grunted. “The relax part, not the enjoy. I’m enjoying this, make no mistake about it.”

“I see that,” she said with a smile. His member twitched against her stomach, aching for her touch. She leaned up over him, her hands braced on either side of him, to kiss him. His hard-on brushed against the damp heat between her open thighs, and he moaned. Her tongue slowly traced over his lower lip, just a soft tickle and no more. His lips parted, and she couldn’t resist exploring.

He lifted his head from the pillow, intent on kissing her harder, but she pulled back just out of his reach, and he groaned in frustration. Her mouth brushed against his in the faintest whisper of a kiss, then again.

He tugged against the silk that bound him to the headboard, but it didn’t give. “I need you, dammit, woman,” he gasped.

He trembled as the tip of her tongue drew circles and swirls down his throat and back down his chest, his lungs working hard to inhale. She slid down his legs and placed her hands underneath his knees, parting his thighs. Sitting back on her heels in the space she’d created, she smiled to herself. This strong, protective god was helpless before her, and completely at her mercy. She rubbed more oil onto her palms, caressing the insides of his thighs and moving gradually to the centre. His hips jerked in anticipation, and again she noticed he was biting his lower lip.

She slowly rubbed her open palms against his sac, and his breath left him in a deep moan, his legs trembling. His erection throbbed painfully, and he was aching for her. Her fingers curled under him, teasing as she tested the weight.

“Don’t stop, baby,” he gasped.

She remained silent, sweeping both hands up his length to the tip. A strangled noise met her ears in response, and she worked them back down to his base again. The oil made her touch glide up and down him, and she couldn’t resist sweeping her tongue in an upward lick, circling the head and back down.

Curses and unintelligible mutters sounded above her as he tugged at the headboard. His hands curled into tight fists as he struggled, and she continued to lightly lick and massage his solid member. His feet kicked at her sides, his back arched as he rolled his head from side to side.

She licked from his base up to the tip, moving slowly and savouring the taste of him combined with the oil. Her mouth ghosted over the head before going back down, and he grunted in frustration. Sliding further down, she licked the soft skin below his sac, her tongue rubbing up and round back to his erection. She sat back up and swept her hair out of her way, leaning onto her elbows and finally closing her mouth over him.

A long, low moan echoed around her as she worked her mouth up and down, her hands grasping him in a firm grip. His body shook, his breathing laboured. A soft hum of pleasure rumbled from deep inside her, vibrating against him. He rolled his hips, desperate to push deeper, but she controlled the depth and speed.

She let him slip out from between her lips, lifting herself over him again. Her thighs spread over his, and she slowly gyrated herself over him, using his length to pleasure her throbbing core. The warm oil felt sensual against her as she moved, and he bucked hard beneath her.

Her nipples brushed his chest as she leaned down and kissed his neck, sucking lightly on the pulse that hammered just below his skin. She continued to move on him, gaining momentum as she felt her insides contract, and she ground down on him with more pressure.

“I need to be inside you,” he whispered hoarsely. “I need to fuck you. I need to come.”

“Not yet,” she whispered back, her thighs tensing. “Oh God…that feels _so_ fucking good babe…”

His hips rocked in time with hers, increasing the friction against her clitoris as she rubbed herself against him. Her breathing turned to pants and gasps, and her arms trembled with the effort of holding her weight.

“Come for me,” he panted. “You are so close baby…come on me.”

She dropped her head to his chest, panting hard. Opening her eyes, the sight between her legs made her heart almost stop completely. Both of them were soaked; a mixture of the oil, his leaking fluid, and her juices. Grinding her hips down hard, she cried out in ecstasy as she orgasmed, her body going into convulsions as she rocked against him.

With one almighty effort, he wrenched himself free from the fabric tying him to the bed, gripped her hips and thrust inside her in one swift movement. His intrusion prolonged her orgasm, and she wailed in time with his thrusts as he pounded into her, hard. Ripping the blindfold from him, she crushed his mouth with hers, their tongues instantly meeting and twisting around each other. He flipped her over onto her back, rotating his hips as he drove into her, his arms crushed around her back.

The sound of his blood rushing through him deafened him to everything except the sound of her moans and cries of passion. He flexed inside her as the muscles in his lower back and his abdomen tensed and tightened, his orgasm within touching distance. Amay threw her legs up around his waist and hauled him even closer, her arms entwined around his neck as she returned his kiss with a hunger that matched his own.

He tore his mouth from hers and roared like an animal as he slammed deep into her, erupting white-hot come that flooded her insides. Her legs tightened to hold him in place as she panted and gasped for air. Leaning her head back on the pillows, her chest heaved against his as she fought to breathe. Her entire body was exhausted.

Thranduil’s body shook in her arms, tired from effort and exertion. His lungs hurt with the effort of breathing, the room spun around him, and the whooshing of his blood was still deafening. He slowly lifted his head from her shoulder, blinking hard to bring himself to his senses.

“You cheated,” she said with a soft laugh.

He snorted in between panting. “Cheated? Damn, woman…that took everything I had not to break free before I did,” he laughed. “You drove me fucking _wild_!”

“Good,” she smiled. “That’s what I meant to do.” Her fingertips trailed lazily up and down his biceps as she gazed into his eyes. “I love you.”

He crushed his mouth to hers in a deep, intimate kiss that spoke of a million feelings and emotions. “I love you too, my sweetheart,” he whispered against her. “I love you so much, I could never begin to tell you.”

She trailed a hand through the lengths of his hair, marvelling at the softness. His eyes held hers, a misty, faraway look to him as he gazed at her.

“I take it you liked?” she asked softly.

“Liked? Holy fuck, Amethyst…I’ve never come so hard in my life!” he said incredulously. He flexed inside her, just to prove a point almost.

She smiled. “I’m glad.”

The thought flickered across his mind that she was very insecure about what they did together, but he chased it away. Now wasn’t the time to go into the psychology behind her actions, or her intent. He interlocked his fingers with hers, drawing her hand to his mouth to kiss her knuckles.

“I shall have no trouble falling asleep now,” he murmered.

“We both really should shower,” she said. “That oil is kinda sticky.”

He hummed in agreement, carefully pulling out of her and rolling over. He sat up and helped her to sit, before rising and padding through to the bathroom and turning on the shower. Reappearing at her side, he held his hand out.

“Come shower with me,” he whispered.

She took his hand and stood, and he kissed her tenderly, then led her through to the bathroom.


	31. Quiet Time

** CHAPTER THIRTY ONE **

****

Thranduil frowned as Ray babbled on about some issue with a customer, but he struggled to comprehend his non-stop yapping. His mind was on what had occurred in the early hours of the morning, when Amay had given him an orgasm like he’d never had before.

His eyes flicked over in her direction. She was tapping impatiently on the desk with the end of her pen, waiting for her employee to say what he had to say then shut the hell up so she could put her side across. Her deep blue eyes narrowed in annoyance, and she flipped her hair over one shoulder.

His gaze travelled down her body. She wore a red vest-top, reasonably low-cut, which hugged her full breasts and demanded his attention. Her backside and legs were encased in stretch jeans, the denim hugging her curves and distracting him no end. She’d kicked her flip-flops to one side, her bare feet swinging as she sat on the edge of the desk, the glitter on her dark green toenails sparkling as she moved.

He felt himself harden as he studied her, and frowned as he dragged his gaze away. The feeling of what she had put him through was firmly in the front of his mind, and he couldn’t shift it and concentrate for the life of him.

“Right, what you should have done in that situation was to come and get me,” she said, intruding on his internal battle with his libido. “There’s no way to appease someone when they go off on one like that, so all you can do is escalate to someone else, that someone else being me. Next time, don’t stand there arguing a battle you have no chance of winning.”

Ray nodded wistfully. “I’ll shout for you, Peach,” he agreed.

“Good. Has the delivery from the liquor supplier arrived yet?” she asked.

“I don’t think so,” he answered, getting up from his seat. “I’ll go check, and give you a shout if it has.” He left the office.

“Are you ok?” she asked, turning to Thranduil. “You were really quiet.”

He glanced up at her, having been staring at his feet. “Yes. Just a little tired.”

She swung her feet in time to the music drifting up from the main floor, Prince’s Batdance. “Did somebody keep you from your sleep?” she asked, grinning devilishly.

He returned her grin, easing himself from the window frame he’d been leaning on. “No comment,” he replied. “The check finally came through from the insurance company in the mail this morning.”

Her eyebrows lifted in surprise. “What are you going to do, cash it, or frame the thing? It took them long enough, bastards.”

“They never rush when it comes to paying out,” he observed. “At least that’s it settled though. Finally.”

“Peach, the delivery truck’s just pulled up,” Ray announced, sticking his head around the door.

“About time too,” she grunted, and went to move off the desk.

“Stay here babe, I’ll deal with it,” Thranduil told her. He dropped a soft kiss on her mouth as he passed, pausing to gently caress her cheek. Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, he turned and followed Ray downstairs.

Amay frowned, wondering what was on his mind. Maybe she’d taken things too far earlier on, and he genuinely was exhausted. She hadn’t counted on him being as affected as he was, or breaking free from the restraint she’d tied him up with either. He’d gone wild as he’d broken free, devouring her with a burst of passion that knocked her socks off.

In a good way.

Smirking to herself, she reached behind her and grabbed the phone as it rang. “Hi, Indigo’s,” she said. “Amay speaking.”

The line clicked and went dead, and she tutted in annoyance as she replaced the receiver. Jumping off the desk, she followed Thranduil’s steps down to the main floor, crossing over and going out to the back entrance.

Ray was blushing and flirting, and the delivery driver was clearly giving him the go-ahead.

Pulling the side of her mouth in, she observed them for a few moments, before speaking up. “Ray, can I borrow you for a minute?” she asked. “Babe, you alright yourself for a few?”

“Of course,” he replied. He stood with his arms folded, watching every move the dispatcher made as he unloaded the back of the truck.

“What’s up?” Ray asked, following her through to the bar. “I was making progress out there.”

“I know, that’s why I called you away,” she told him, sliding a coffee over to him. “That dude’s married with two kids.”

“What?” he screeched. “Oh. My. God.”

She nodded. “I know. I don’t want you getting tangled into something dirty.”

“The absolute prick,” he muttered.

“If he chooses to cheat on his wife, that’s between them,” she said, leaning her elbows on the bar and sipping from her own coffee. “I just don’t want you getting mixed up in his bullshit.”

“Thanks, Peach,” he said quietly.

“You’ll meet somebody, just hang fire,” she said. “I think you’re trying too hard. It’ll happen when you’re not looking for it, trust me.”

“You fell for Thranduil the second you set eyes on him,” he laughed.

She raised her eyebrows in semi-agreement. “I fell in lust,” she corrected. “It’s kind of hard not to. But yeah…I fell in love really quickly. And hard.”

“How long before you realised you were in love?” he asked, curious.

She pursed her mouth as she thought about it. “The second date, I knew I was falling fast,” she said. “That first kiss? Jesus…I was in way over my head. After that, it was a non-stop freeway to where I am now.”

“What was the first kiss like?” he questioned, drinking his coffee.

She smiled, recalling the moment. “Slow, gentle, tender,” she whispered. “Then it changed. Passionate, hungry, erotic.”

“You forgot lustful, steamy, and amorous,” Thranduil said, pressing a soft kiss to her neck and reaching around her for her coffee.

She turned to him with a grin. “I thought you were out with the delivery,” she laughed.

“Dan’s taken over,” he replied. “Too much sugar,” he added, wrinkling his nose as he took a mouthful from her cup. “I knew I was being talked about.”

“Ha!” she snorted, taking the cup from him. She stood on her toes and kissed his mouth. “You did not.”

“I always know,” he smirked.

Ray grinned like a cat behind his cup. “She was only saying good things, boss,” he said. “Seriously though…you guys are good for each other. You balance one another out.”

“Nothing wrong with a bit of balance,” Thranduil muttered, turning away.

Amay burst out laughing, shoving his back. “Pervert,” she laughed. “Pay no attention, Ray-Ban.”

“Will you two quit talking about sex, for chrissakes?” he demanded, slamming his cup down. “Some of us aren’t exactly swinging off the lights these days.”

Thranduil laughed heartily, going back up to the office.

“It’s the best sex I’ve ever had,” she whispered. “The stuff you only ever read about. Trust me – it exists.”

“Lucky bitch,” Ray grumbled.

“I have exceptional hearing, my darling,” Thranduil called over his shoulder.

Her cheeks turned scarlet, and Ray roared with laughter.

“Busted!” he sang. “Right, I’m going to check the delivery, and restock. I’ll catch up with you later.”

She sighed, lifting her cup and going up to the office. Thranduil was frowning, gazing down at the telephone.

“What’s wrong?” she asked, bumping the door closed with her hip.

“Hang-up call,” he replied. “That’s the second this morning.”

“Third,” she corrected. “I had one when you went downstairs. It’ll just be some lunatic with nothing better to do.”

He pursed his mouth. “Fancy some lunch?”

She smiled. “Yes, I’m starving,” she told him. “Where d’you want to go?”

“You choose,” he said.

“I’m easy-osey,” she replied. “Pizza?”

“Sounds fine,” he said, holding his hand out. She took it and went to turn away, but he didn’t move. Turning back to him, she gazed at him as he pulled her up against his body, his arms going around her waist in a tight embrace.

“Thranduil, are you ok?” she asked hesitantly. “You don’t seem right today, I’m worried about you.”

“I’m fine,” he whispered against her hair. “I just love you so much, and I don’t think I tell you often enough.”

She giggled softly. “You tell me all the time,” she said. Her hands rested on his broad shoulders, and she closed her eyes as she absorbed his presence. “And I love you too.”

“Come on,” he said, breaking the hold. “Let’s eat.”

*****

Amay tutted in disgust and heaved her cell phone across the bed. It bounced next to Thranduil’s knee and landed on the floor.

“Problem?” he asked, looking up from his laptop.

“Mason again,” she replied and rolled onto her back to look up at the ceiling. “Dude seems to think I’m his goddamned mother these days.”

He frowned. “I noticed he’s been asking you questions on just about everything lately,” he observed.

“Mmm,” she agreed. “I think he’s trying just a wee bit too hard to get into management’s good books after you fired his arse. Which is fine, but it’s getting a bit much. Idiot can’t take a dump without running it past me first.”

He smirked. “Ray should be able to handle him,” he said. “Bard has just emailed me, he has some vacation time coming up. How would you feel if he came over for a week or so?”

She turned her head to look at him, rendered speechless by the God who sat cross-legged next to her. His long blond hair fell over his shoulders and down his chest, his ice blue eyes concentrating on the screen on his lap. His full mouth just screamed out to be kissed. “Uh, that would be great,” she said, coughing and blinking hard to drag herself back to the present. “I quite like him, he seems to come across as a genuine guy.”

“He is,” he agreed, looking over at her. “He’s one guy who would stand shoulder to shoulder with me and always be there. There aren’t many people like that around anymore.”

“This is true,” she murmered.

He frowned. “You are a little pale, my darling. Are you alright?”

“Yeah,” she replied. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Have you started to bleed yet?”

She laughed. “No, I haven’t. Dammit, you’re like my personal calendar.”

“You’re pale, you look tired, and you were a bit cranky this afternoon,” he told her. “I said you would have your period by the end of the week.”

“Are you ever wrong, about anything?” she demanded, rolling over onto her stomach and propping herself up on her elbows.

“No.”

Unable to stop herself, she started laughing. “Bashful too, aintchya?”

He nodded. “When I want to be.” A sexy grin accompanied his words, and he went back to his laptop.

“I need to pee,” she said, rolling off the bed and going through to the bathroom. She emerged a few seconds later, to find him still sat where she had left him, one hand typing on the laptop, the other holding her pack of pads. “Are you fucking psychic?!”

He grinned, tossing the pack over to her. “I know things,” he answered.

She grunted, disappearing again. When she came back out, she had freshened up and changed into her pyjamas. “How come you’re so attentive to my cycle?” she asked, rubbing lotion onto her hands.

“Because you are part of me,” he replied, still typing. “What affects you and your body affects me. Plus I pay attention.”

“One of a kind,” she murmered absent-mindedly.

He flipped the quilt back, patting the sheet. “Come on. Lie down and get some rest,” he advised. “I’ll be ready for bed in about ten minutes. We can curl up and watch a movie if you like.”

“Sounds just the job,” she said with a smile, as she slid under the quilt. “Oh, I forgot to tell you, I had an email from an old friend today.”

“You did?”

“Mmm. We worked together when I first came over here, then she left to go to Vegas. I haven’t seen her for about three years,” she said.

“So arrange a get-together with her,” he said as he closed the laptop down.

“She’s flying in at the beginning of next week,” she replied. “So I might just do that, tell her to jump into Indigo’s and look me up. Ray’ll go off his nut, he never liked her.”

He frowned. “Why not? He gets along with most people.”

She shrugged. “Sophie’s as mad as a box of frogs, and he could never keep up with her,” she said. “She always managed to out-smart him, catch him out with pranks all the time. He hated it.” She watched his long hair brush his legs as he leaned over and placed the laptop on the floor beside the bed, her insides fluttering to life.

“I’ll make you some tea, and be back in a minute,” he said, leaning towards her and gently kissing her. He returned with the said tea within a few minutes, settling into bed next to her, flicking the tv on.

“Want to tell me why you were so quiet this morning?” she asked, propping herself up against the soft pillows at her back.

Ice blue eyes drifted in her direction, and he sighed. “You totally blew me away last night,” he said, after a pause.

“I went too far, didn’t I?”

“What? Hell no! It was fucking amazing,” he said immediately. “Why would you think that?”

She reached over and grasped his wrist, turning it so his hand was palm upwards. A pink friction burn marred his otherwise perfect flesh.

He scoffed. “Do not let that worry you,” he said. “I could’ve freed myself before if I’d tried hard enough. I just didn’t really want to. I did, but I didn’t, if that makes any sense.” He smiled down at her.

“Kind of,” she said. “I just thought why not try something different. Instead of you teasing me, maybe I should return the favour and tease you.”

“By God you teased me,” he laughed. “I’ve never had an orgasm like that in my life. I was pretty sure I was dead.”

She chuckled. “Not quite.” She paused. “You’d tell me if I went too far, or did something you didn’t like, wouldn’t you?”

He slowly turned his head, his blue eyes holding her prisoner. “And there it is,” he said softly.

She frowned. “What?”

He shifted his upper body round so he was facing her. “A throw-back to what we were talking about,” he said. His gaze seemed to penetrate her soul. “You aren’t aware of your own power, the effect you have on me. You still have doubts about yourself.”

She swallowed, breaking his gaze.

He tipped her chin up, forcing her to look at him again. “Do not ever doubt yourself,” he said softly. “Last night was fucking incredible baby, what you put me through was heaven and hell combined. There is nothing you can do to me in bed that I wouldn’t like.”

“But not everybody likes the same things,” she said, caught up in the look in his eyes. A look of passion, lust, and love.

“If…and that’s a huge if, you do something I do not like, then I will tell you, if that makes you feel any better,” he promised. “But all I have to do is look at you, and I want to be on top of you, inside you, making you scream for me, coming so hard for me…” He trailed off, shaking his head and releasing her. “Dammit.”

She laughed.

He leaned back against the pillows, taking her hand in his and twisting her fingers through hers. “Try to rest, my angel,” he said. “Get some sleep. I want to take you shopping tomorrow.”

“What for?”

“You have been nagging me about painting since we set foot in this house,” he replied. “And seeing as you refuse to allow me to hire a decorator, we might as well go and choose colours. Now rest.”

She smiled to herself, snuggling down onto her back, her hand still in his.

 

 


	32. Newcomer

** CHAPTER THIRTY TWO **

****

A few days later, Amay was up to her elbows in the rota, when a knock sounded at the office door.

“Come in,” she said, not lifting her head as she scribbled furiously.

“Hey, how’s it going?” a cheery voice asked.

She looked up. “Sophie!” she yelled, leaping out of her seat and tearing across the room. “Oh my God, how are you?” She threw her arms around the newcomer, laughing and jumping up and down.

“I’m fine, girl, just fine,” she laughed. “How about you? I hear everything’s changed around here.”

Amay drew back, gazing at her friend. “Yeah,” she said wistfully. “A whole lot has changed.”

Sophie’s dark brown eyes held hers. “Got time for a coffee and a catch-up?”

“With you? I’ll make time,” she laughed, linking her arm through hers as they left the office and headed downstairs. “Gary! Two coffees, please,” she called over to the bar. The barman nodded dutifully, and set about preparing the order.

The two women sat in one of the booths at the rear of the club, facing each other.

“This place has had an overhaul,” Sophie commented, casting her eye over her surroundings.

“Sam passed away,” Amay said quietly.

Sophie nodded. “I heard,” she said, her tone soft. “He was a good guy.”

“I miss him, I really do,” she replied.

“So who owns the club now?”

Gary appeared with their coffees, and disappeared again.

“I own half, and his nephew owns the other half,” she replied, stirring hers. “Sam left the place to his nephew, who signed half over to me.”

Sophie hooted. “Are you fucking this guy?” she asked.

“It’s not like that,” she told her. “We started seeing each other before Sam made it public knowledge that he was dying. We’re getting married, Soph.”

Her friend’s eyes widened. “Jesus Christ, I never thought I’d hear you say that,” she exclaimed. “He must be really something! You were practically a man-hater when we worked together. What happened?”

She grinned. “I wasn’t a man-hater,” she said. “And Thranduil happened. He completely swept me off my feet. I didn’t expect it, but he’s changed everything for me. He’s changed me as a person.”

“That can’t be good,” she frowned.

Amay shook her head. “Not in a bad way. He’s made me believe in myself again, gave me something to dream about, a future. Something no other guy ever gave me.”

Sophie studied her. “Well that’s a good thing,” she said quietly. “You needed that, Amay. You were closed off in your own world of isolation. You needed to come out of it and live a little. This guy’s obviously cracked through the wall you built and dragged you over it.”

She smiled, twisting her cup in circles. “Yeah, he did,” she said. “I can’t remember not having him in my life.”

“Damn, I’m going to have to meet this dude,” Sophie remarked, swigging from her cup. “He must be special to have hauled you back into the dating game.”

Amay smiled. “He is. He’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me,” she said. “Anyway, how long are you here for?”

Sophie shrugged. “I’m looking for work,” she answered. “I’m crashing with my cousin until I find a place, but I really want to move back here. I miss everybody, I miss the life, you know? Vegas is different, it’s not like here.”

Amay made a mental note to speak with Thranduil when she caught up with him later on, knowing that Sophie had experience and knew the club as well as she did. “I take it you weren’t happy there?” she asked.

Sophie shrugged nonchalantly. “It had its moments,” she answered. “But it wasn’t home. It lacked something.”

“Maybe you’ll find whatever it was here,” she said.

Sophie wasn’t listening. “Oh my fucking God,” she muttered, staring off over Amay’s shoulder. “I think my ovaries just exploded. I want to have his babies!”

Amay turned to see what had caught her attention, grinning as her gaze settled on Thranduil as he strode towards them. “That, my dear, is my fiancé,” she said with a grin. “So hands off.”

Sophie’s jaw dropped. “What?! Seriously? Holy shit Am…he’s fucking hot!” she gasped.

“I know,” she replied, rising to her feet and turning to face her lover as he approached. “Hi baby,” she murmered, standing on her toes to kiss him. His arms slid around her waist holding her close against his warm body, a deep sigh of contentment rumbling from inside him.

“I missed you,” he whispered, tucking her hair behind her ear.

She smiled, completely lost in his eyes. “I want to introduce you to someone,” she said, turning to Sophie. “This is Sophie, my friend I told you about.”

She rose to her feet, shaking the hand he offered.

“Pleased to meet you,” he greeted her. “Amethyst has told me all about you.”

“I’m afraid she hasn’t returned the favour,” Sophie grinned. “I’m just becoming aware of who you are, although I think that might change after a bottle or two of wine.” She grinned.

Thranduil turned to Amay, his gaze lingering on her mouth. “I’m sure you girls will set up some time together to catch up,” he murmered. “In the meantime, I have to go across town and sort out some legal paperwork. Will you be alright until I get back?”

She nodded. “I’ll be ok,” she told him. “Me and Soph have a lot to catch up on. I’ll still be here when you get back.”

“How about we all go out for dinner tonight?” he suggested.

“I wouldn’t wanna intrude,” Sophie said, shaking her head.

“Don’t be daft, you wouldn’t be intruding,” Amay said. “That sounds like a great idea, babe,” she said to Thranduil. “One condition.”

“No chance,” he murmered as his mouth caressed hers in a soft kiss. “I won’t be long. Enjoy yourselves.”

He left with a grin over his shoulder, his hand trailing from her grasp as he walked away.

“Holy fuck Amay…” Sophie spluttered. “He’s a hunk! What did you do?”

“Nothing,” she replied. “I fell for him, and he fell for me. I still don’t know why.”

Sophie gazed in the direction he’d taken, shaking her head. “Wow. That’s all I can say…just fucking wow.”

Amay smiled, lowering herself back onto her seat. “Yeah…something like that,” she murmered.

Sophie drew her gaze back to her with a frown. “Get your ass out of the past,” she said sharply. “This guy’s clearly crazy about you. Enjoy it. Enjoy him. Forget about the asshole from years ago, Amay. It’s not worth the brainpower.”

“I know,” she said, lifting her eyes to hers.

“Then if you already know, why is one Nike still stuck in the past?” she demanded. She leaned across the table, resting both elbows on it. “I’ll take a bet that this guy absolutely fucking realigns the planets both in bed and out of it. Am I right? I know I’m right. If you can find someone who can do both, fucking keep him.”

Amay stared into her brown eyes. “I have no intention of letting him go,” she said.

“Good.” Sophie sat back, folding her arms. “It’s about time you laid claim to someone. Now…tell me more about your wedding plans.”

*****

The girls talked for the next hour or so, then Thranduil returned and took them out to an exclusive restaurant for dinner. The evening ended with a few bottles of wine and a lot of laughing and giggling. Thranduil dutifully made sure both women reached their homes safely, albeit after having to practically carry Amay up to bed as she was roaring and laughing.

The following morning, she sat at the bar downstairs nursing a coffee and a banging headache. Thranduil was up in the office, finishing the uncompleted rota that she had abandoned the previous day.

He glanced up as Ray knocked and entered the room, closing the door and throwing himself down on the seat on the other side of the desk.

“Problem?” he asked, his pen stilled.

Ray pursed his mouth. “Yeah.”

Thranduil lay the pen down, steepling his fingers, waiting.

“Sophie’s bad news,” he said eventually. “She’s a bad influence on Amay.”

He frowned. “In what way?”

Ray sighed. “Amay struggles with her self-confidence sometimes,” he said. “You probably already know that. Sophie plays on that, building her up then taking it away from her when she’s not expecting it. She’s damned clever about it too; Amay doesn’t realise at the time what’s happened.”

Thick eyebrows arched down over ice blue eyes. “Amethyst seems very close to her,” he observed.

“Granted,” Ray agreed. “But she doesn’t see through her the way others do.”

“Are you saying she’s gullible?”

“Not at all. Just easily led when it comes to that skank.”

One eyebrow lifted as the venom in the word. “That’s a bit harsh.”

Ray shook his head. “Listen to me,” he said, leaning forwards. “You love Amay. So do I. Not in the same way; she’s my best friend and I’d die for her. I’m protective of her as are you, and I’m not going to sit back and watch that fucking heifer destroy what she’s made of herself. And she’ll try. Believe me. I’m not gonna let that happen, boss.”

Thranduil inhaled deeply, studying his employee. “Amethyst is a big girl, she can make her own choices,” he said finally. “And she’s already told me there’s bad blood between you and Sophie.”

He snorted in disgust. “That doesn’t even begin to cover it,” he muttered. “Just look out for her? I can only keep an eye on her for so many hours in a shift, but you can around the clock. Trust me – she’s going to need someone looking out for her.”

Thranduil leaned against the back of his seat, folding his arms. “You’re predicting disaster,” he said.

“Yes. There’s always disaster where Sophie’s concerned,” he answered. “Everywhere she goes, she causes trouble and chaos.”

“You’ll be pleased to know Amethyst wants to give her a job,” he said, watching Ray’s reaction.

His eyes burned with hatred. “That’s a big mistake,” he said quietly.

Thranduil sighed deeply, shaking his head. “All I can do is watch from a distance,” he said. “Amethyst owns half of this club, she makes equal decisions. As my partner and my future wife, I have to support her, not go against her.”

“Just be there to pick the pieces up,” Ray said, rising to his feet. “And they _will_ fall. That’s a promise.” He left the office, leaving Thranduil perplexed.

*****

Amay coughed and spluttered, choking on her coffee. Sophie grinned, slapping her on the back.

“It wasn’t that bad,” she laughed. “I just closed my eyes and thought of Brad Pitt.”

“Oh my God, Soph, that’s disgusting!” she spluttered. “How could you?”

Her friend shrugged, wiping the top of the bar. “I was bored.”

“Holy shit,” she muttered. “That’s bad, even for you!”

Sophie grinned. “I’ve done worse,” she said with a mischievous gleam in her eye.

“I don’t want to know,” Amay laughed. “Don’t tell me any more!”

Ray passed behind Sophie, muttering to himself.

“You alright, Ray-Ban?” Amay asked.

“Never better,” he replied, and disappeared.

“I see he’s still as moody as he ever was,” Sophie remarked. “Guy needs a good fuck to sort him out.”

Thinking to herself that her friend’s coarse side hadn’t mellowed in the slightest, she emptied her coffee cup. “Listen, I’m taking tonight off,” she said. “Will you be alright? Ray’ll look after you, if you need anything, just run it past him.”

“I’ll be fine, Am,” she replied. “I know this place, remember?”

She grinned. “Just as well. I’m going to make tracks…and by the looks of it, my other half is about ready to leave as well.”

Both turned as Thranduil descended the stairs. Amay’s breathing stopped as she watched him, his long hair brushing his waist as he headed down towards her. Ice blue eyes held hers, a smile on his full lips.

She slid off the stool, meeting him halfway across the floor, tipping her head up for his kiss. A soft murmer of pleasure left her as his warm flesh touched hers, her arms sliding up his arms to his shoulders.

“Hey, c’mon guys, take it outside,” Sophie laughed. “Y’all are putting us off our work.”

“You’re just jealous,” Ray snapped as he walked past.

Sophie raised her eyebrows. “Calm down, you diva,” she said to his retreating back. “Somebody fell out of bed the wrong side this morning.”

Amay grinned, tucking her arm around Thranduil’s waist. “You ready to go?” she asked him.

“If you are,” he replied. “Call us if you need to, guys,” he added over his shoulder as they headed towards the door, his arm around Amay’s shoulder.

She snuggled against his side as they left the club, stepping out into the warm air. “So…have you settled on a colour for the bedroom?” she asked.

“What you chose is fine,” he replied. “I like green, and the tones you picked will go beautifully together.”

She leaned against the side of the car as they approached it, and gazed up at him.

“What?” he asked, a smile curving his sensual mouth.

She returned his smile, running her hands through the ends of his hair. “I’m just helplessly and hopelessly head over heels in love with you,” she said.

“Good,” he replied, lowering his mouth to hers. “That’s what I aim for.”

The kiss turned to a smile and back into a kiss again as he pulled her against him, their arms winding around each other. Nothing in the world mattered, nothing around them held any importance. The muscles across his shoulders tensed and twitched under her hands, her touch lighting a furnace in his soul.

“This isn’t really the most romantic place in the world,” he murmered, pulling back just a fraction. He brushed his mouth over hers again, then again. “I can’t get enough of you. Why do you have to be bleeding right now?”

She laughed as he pouted. “There are other ways I can take care of you,” she reminded him. “I’ll show you when we get home.”

“I’ll drive, in that case,” he said, opening the passenger door. “I drive faster than you.”

She laughed, sliding into the car and he closed the door after her.

*****

Thranduil leaned his head back on the couch and sighed, his eyes closed. Amay rose to her feet, leaning over him and kissing him tenderly.

“Feel better?” she smirked.

“Much,” he answered. “Although it’s not exactly fair on you.”

“I’ll keep,” she replied with a shrug as she went through to wash her hands. “The longer it burns, the faster it’ll explode when the time comes.”

He closed his eyes again, a smile on his face. A few seconds later, she padded back over to him and gently wiped his stomach with a soft towel, placing a kiss on his chest as she buttoned his shirt back up.

“I’m going to start painting,” she told him. “What are you going to do?”

A rumble of laughter echoed from his throat. “I do not know if I can move,” he said lazily. “I feel exhausted.”

“So I’ll bring you a blanket down,” she said. “You can grab a sleep here.”

He flipped his head forwards and glared at her. “And let you do all the work? I do not think so,” he snorted, dragging himself up. “This is not a house where I sit on my backside and let you slave away.”

“But what a backside it is,” she said, squeezing the curves of his ass as he went past her. “The stuff dreams are made of. Dirty dreams.”

He glanced at her over his shoulder with a smirk. “Keep dreaming, my love,” he said. “In a few days, I’ll make those dreams come true.”

“Oooo,” she grinned, following him upstairs. “Did you bring the paintbrush in from the car?”

“I did, I brought both of them in,” he said pointedly.

“Yay. How about you do the high bits, and I do the lower bits? Seeing as you’re so tall and masterful and all,” she said.

“Flattery will get you everywhere, my darling,” he replied. “Besides, it’s easier for me to do the top. I do not want you hanging off a ladder.”

She tutted, bursting the seal on the tin of paint. “I think this’ll look amazing when it’s on,” she remarked. “Those two walls darker green, and the opposite two lighter?”

He nodded, opening the plastic that covered the brushes. “It’ll look stunning,” he said. “Damn…” His phone started beeping.

“If that’s Ray throwing a tantrum because of Sophie, just ignore him,” she said. “He’s like a kid throwing his toys out of his pram sometimes.”

He frowned as he scrolled down the text message. “Yes, I think that about covers it,” he said dryly. “I have the feeling it’s going to be like dealing with pre-school children for the foreseeable future.”

“Let them get on with it,” she replied, handing him the tin of paint as he pocketed his phone. She rocked back on her heels and watched as he dipped the brush in, swirling it around, then reached up to cut in at the edge where the top of the wall met the ceiling.

His shirt rode up, exposing the flat plane of his stomach, and her insides flexed and clenched in silent response. Unaware of her perusal, he swept the brush along the edge of the ceiling, each movement moving the fabric. She stayed motionless, mesmerised by the view before her.

He turned suddenly, catching her unawares. “What’s wrong?” he asked.

She rose to her feet, stepping over to him and taking the brush from him, dropping it on the plastic at their feet. “Nothing,” she whispered, lifting her mouth to his. “I’m hungry again.” Her lips met his and passion burst to life between them, his hands entangling in her hair as her tongue danced with his.

“What’s got into you?” he laughed, moaning in pleasure as she kissed her way down his neck and began unbuttoning his shirt.

“You,” she replied, pulling him to the floor as she peeled the fabric apart and kissed her way down his stomach. He closed his eyes and purred as she deftly undid his jeans.

 

 

 

 

 

 


	33. Still Insecure

** CHAPTER THIRTY THREE **

****

By the middle of the following week, Amay was a hot mess. She’d been desperate to mate with Thranduil for days, and unable to as she didn’t like sex during her time of the month.

She soon made up for it.

He appeared in the doorway to the kitchen, immersed in the newspaper he was reading as he entered the room, only to have her whip it from his hands. She launched herself at him, gripping his hair to pull him down for a hungry kiss, her tongue immediately demanding entrance to his mouth.

He groaned, instantly hard for her, and backed her up against the wall. Her hands roamed restlessly over him, dragging the robe he wore from his shoulders and down his arms. Hot, hard flesh met her exploring fingers, flexing under her touch. She lifted one leg and twisted it around his hip, pressing against the erection that nudged insistently into her abdomen. He gripped her hips, rocking her harder, a deep groan rumbling from his chest.

“Damn, babe…you’re like a cat in heat,” he gasped, tilting his head back as her mouth moved down his neck and over his throat, sucking and biting.

“Any complaints?” she whispered as she dragged her tongue over his heated skin.

“None whatsoever,” he grunted, lifting her and placing her on the worktop. His mouth met hers once more as he yanked her silk robe apart, pushing it down her arms. She wriggled it away from her upper body, her arms locking around the back of his neck. Her thighs parted and she flipped her heels around his back, tugging him flush against her.

She whimpered as her hard nipples crushed against his chest, her breathing turning to hot, rapid pants. “I want you,” she murmered against his mouth. “I need you.”

“Never let it be said that I do not see to your every need,” he whispered back, tearing the sash of his robe open. His erection pressed against the warm wetness of her, and she jerked her hips forwards.

They both groaned simultaneously as he entered the hot cavern, his hands gripping her hips as he slid inside.

“Oh my God…that feels so good,” he hissed between clenched teeth as he flexed inside her. Her internal muscles gripped him in primal response, squeezing him and encouraging him to move. Dragging a deep breath into his aching lungs, he began to thrust, slow, deep movements that fuelled his lust. She rocked with him, her mouth biting hard on the flesh below his ear, his hair twisted around her clenched fists.

“Fuck me harder,” she panted.

He pulled out so that just the tip remained inside, slamming his hips home and pulling back again, to repeat it over and over. She writhed on the worktop, desperate to come, desperate to feel him explode within her. She kissed him with a deep-seated greed, almost devouring him as he returned her passion. Deep moans and whimpers escaped as she twisted and turned, deepening the kiss and taking everything he had to give her. In turn, he took everything she offered, without hesitation. His mouth kissed hot kisses down her neck, and she leaned her head back, her fists pulling hard on his hair. Her heart pounded so hard it hurt, her adrenalin through the roof.

Dragging his mouth back to hers, she wriggled her hips and slid her hands down to his backside, digging her nails into his flesh and trying to bring him impossibly closer.

“I’m going to come, baby,” she panted as her body tightened and flexed. “Oh God, I’m coming..!”

His arms tightened around her as she climaxed, her body gripping his in an iron hold that spoke of her need to make him hers. She continued to kiss him with desperate passion as he erupted within her, their kiss slowly turning to soft bites and sighs of sated pleasure as the waves of euphoria gradually ebbed.

Panting heavily, Thranduil closed his eyes and leaned his forehead against hers, a soft laugh rumbling from him. “I assume six days was too long for you to wait?” he teased.

“You bet it was,” she said. “I thought it was never going to end. I’ve been horny for you all week.”

He grinned, turning his head and softly kissing her. “So I gathered,” he replied, his lips gently nipping at hers as he spoke. “This is a workout I could do with every morning.”

She grinned, turning into his kiss and drawing it out as much as she could. “I love you…you know that, don’t you?” Uncertain blue eyes met his, and he frowned slightly.

“I know you do, sweetheart,” he said. “Are you alright?”

“Of course I am,” she said. “I just wanted you to know, that’s all.”

“I do, and you know how much I love you,” he reassured her, as he tucked her hair behind one ear. “I really have to move my love, my back is going to seize up if I stay like this for much longer.”

She stole another quick kiss, sliding off the worktop as he pulled out of her, and pulling her robe around her again. “Look at the state of you,” she chided teasingly. “All naked in the kitchen at this time of the day…what would the neighbours say?”

“We do not have any neighbours, and if we did, fuck them,” he laughed, taking his discarded robe from her. “What we do in our own house is our business.”

She smirked, marvelling at the contoured muscles of his arms and chest as they disappeared from her view as the robe closed over them. “Damn…” she muttered, shaking her head to clear it. “I’m going to get dressed and do a little more painting,” she said decidedly.

He struggled to hold back a smile, watching the blue of her eyes darken as she became aroused again. “I shall join you shortly,” he told her. “I need a caffeine boost after what we just did.”

“Make me one too?” she asked, grinning like a child asking for something they weren’t allowed.

“Do I ever not make you one?” he replied, returning her grin as he padded further into the kitchen.

Reluctantly dragging her eyes from the muscles of his toned legs, she gave herself a mental shake and headed upstairs to get dressed.

*****

Amay stood with her arms folded, bouncing gently on her heels in time with David Bowie’s “China Girl”, trying her hardest not to laugh. Ray was on a break, and was getting into some seriously dodgy shapes on the dance floor. His arms flailed around like a windmill, his legs kicking out like he was in the throes of an electric shock.

She shook her head, looking away from him, but he was like a bad car crash – she couldn’t help but look back. Sinking her teeth into her bottom lip, her shoulders shook as she fought off an impending howl of hilarity.

“Good God, he’s a disaster out there,” Thranduil’s velvet voice said into her ear as he appeared at her back.

She finally gave in to her laughter, doubling over as her eyes watered. “I’ve never seen anything like it,” she gasped, wiping her eyes. “And the best of it is, he doesn’t give a damn. He thinks he looks great doing all that shit!”

He shrugged. “As long as he’s happy, I suppose,” he remarked. “It’s busier tonight than last Tuesday.”

“Mmm,” she murmered in agreement. “Don’t forget there’s some arty-farty show in town today and tomorrow. That’s probably pulled lots of visitors from out of state.”

“Maybe. Did you want to attend the show?”

“Me? No,” she replied, glancing over her shoulder at him. “I haven’t got the time these days that I used to for my crafty stuff. Too busy with other things.”

“We should look at that then,” he told her. His warm hand rested on her lower back. “It’s not healthy to spend every hour working and have no time to yourself.”

Ray continued to whirl around the dance floor like an out-of-control tornado.

“I don’t mind,” she commented, her gaze on her colleague who was having a whale of a time. “There’ll be plenty of time for me to do other things later in life. Right now, this place needs me.”

“So do I,” he murmered, pressing a soft kiss to the side of her neck.

She grinned, looking at his over her shoulder. “Have you not had enough?” she teased.

His mind flipped backwards to an hour previously, when she’d gone down on her knees in the office and given him a mind-blowing orgasm. “For now, yes,” he laughed. “I need you in all aspects, my love. Not just in bed.”

“Or on the worktop. Or the floor,” she quipped. Her gaze met Sophie’s, who was run off her feet behind the bar, and she tipped her chin up slightly in silent acknowledgement. “I’ll be back as soon as I can,” she said. “Soph needs some help over there.”

She gave him a quick kiss then dived between the dancers, avoiding Ray’s spinning arms and legs.

Vicky took her place at Thranduil’s side, observing the air of peace on the floor. “You know what she’s doing, don’t you?” she asked.

He glanced down at her, his eyebrows down in a confused frown. “Who?”

“Amay,” she replied. “She’s unconsciously marking her territory.”

The frown deepened, as did his confusion. “I do not follow.”

“Whether she realises it or not, she feels threatened with Sophie being back here,” Vicky said. Her green eyes met and held his. “Soph has a reputation for taking what’s not hers, if you know what I mean. And she’s usually damned successful at it.”

His eyes turned towards Amay, who had reached the bar and was in full swing, serving drinks with both hands and bantering with the customers.

“I’ve been watching her all night,” she continued. “She’s more clingy with you than normal. She’s defending what’s hers, protecting it. _It_ being you.”

He scoffed. “Amethyst is my whole world,” he said. “I would never look at another woman.”

“You don’t have to,” she replied. “The other woman has her eyes on you.” She walked away, bopping in between the crowds as she made her way across the floor.

Thranduil’s frown remained, and he watched Amay and Sophie as they worked. They laughed and jostled each other, working fluidly with one another as they dealt with the crowd at the bar.

He acknowledged to himself that she had indeed been a little more clingy than usual. After the session in the kitchen that morning, she’d seduced him in the middle of painting the bedroom, managing to get green paint in his hair and all down his back in the process, and then again in the club she’d used her mouth to pleasure him. Was this her insecurity kicking in? He didn’t know.

What he did know, was that she would never have to worry about him wandering. He’d spent so many years alone, quite content to be alone, then she’d blasted into his life and changed everything that he knew, and he couldn’t live without her after that. She’d burrowed into his heart, his mind, his very soul, and no other would ever be able to take her place.

All he had to do was convince her to believe in herself, and the power she held over him.

Before long, she returned to his side, her eyes bright and sparkling with laughter.

“She’s off her head,” she told him, standing on her toes for her welcome-back kiss. “Seriously, she’s nuts.”

“You looked like you were having fun,” he said, smiling down at her.

She shrugged. “I’ve forgotten what a loony she can be,” she replied. “Has Ray stopped throwing epileptic fits around the place yet?”

He grinned. “Yes. He’s gone up to the first floor, keeping an eye on things with Vicky.” The female bouncer’s words drifted through his mind, and he frowned as he pushed them out again. That was two members of staff who had something negative to say about Sophie, who Amay seemed to trust and admire in her own way.

Snapping back to the present, he blinked as he heard the sound of smashing glass over the heavy beat of the music. His arm instinctively shot around Amay, tugging her backwards against his body as she moved forwards.

“Leave it,” he commanded softly in her ear. “Let them deal with it.”

She wriggled slightly, but went still, rigid in his hold.

Dan and Mason jumped in and attempted to separate a group of young guys in their early twenties, who had started throwing punches at one another. Within seconds, the group united as one and turned on them, getting them on the floor and jumping on top of them.

Again, she moved, but Thranduil’s arm held a steel grip.

Ray leapt over the railing and landed with his knees bent at the edge of the dance floor, taking off into the middle of it in a run as Vicky flew down the stairs. Thranduil held up a hand, stopping her dead, and her eyes flicked to Amay’s.

She shook her head slightly.

Mason and Stevie joined in, and after what seemed like forever, they managed to drag the offending group to the main doors, where the doormen took them off their hands and deposited them outside to a volley of yelling and cursing.

Vicky slowly descended, giving Thranduil a wary glance as she joined Ray and they cleared up the remnants of a few broken bottles.

Amay’s heart thudded in her chest.

“See? No need for you to have been involved,” he told her, slowly releasing his hold on her. “The guys did what they were expected to do, and they took it outside.”

She took a deep breath, saying nothing.

He remained behind her, gently toying with her hair which she’d pulled back into a long ponytail for work, the tail sweeping down her back between her shoulder blades to her waist. “Talk to me,” he prompted softly.

“About what?” she asked. “Thranduil, I could’ve had that situation under control in a quarter of the time, or less. It shouldn’t have taken five of our guys to get in and break that up.”

“I have made my decision,” he told her nonchalantly as he trailed the ends of her tail through his fingertips. “I’m not going to change my mind.”

“I kind of got that impression,” she said dryly.

He leaned down and nuzzled his nose against her neck, murmering erotic words into her ear. She gradually relaxed and started to smile, despite being put out because he’d held her back.

“You’re a charmer,” she whispered, closing her eyes as he placed wet, open-mouthed kisses down to her shoulder. He murmered nonsensically in reply, enjoying the feel of her warm flesh under his lips, the hammering of her pulse under his touch.

“You are due a break,” he whispered, moving back up to her ear. “Sit and have a coffee with me.”

She turned in his arms, crossing her wrists at the back of his neck. Ice blue eyes smiled down into hers, and she knew he’d won the battle. “We close in an hour,” she reminded him.

“And?” He shrugged. “You are still due ten minutes or so to yourself. Come on. You can have a look over the rota if that makes you feel any better.”

She grinned, lifting herself up to meet his soft mouth with her own. “Show me the way,” she whispered.

*****

Amay reached into the pocket of her joggers for her phone as it beeped cheerfully at her, twisting her way out of the path of a dog-walker on rollerblades. She tapped the screen as she walked, accessing Ray’s message.

_Phone call for you here, Peach. Caller said she’s your mother._

She stopped dead, the blood rushing from her head.

Her _mother??_

The woman hadn’t spoken to her in a little over eight years. They’d had a massive screaming match when she’d finally left her ex and her mother had disowned her. What the hell was she doing getting in touch now?

Frowning, Amay rapidly typed out a response.

_Tell her fuck all. And tell no-one fuck all._

She hit send, sighing in angry frustration as she jammed the phone back in her pocket. Things were going amazingly with Thranduil, their house move, and running the club. The last thing she needed was her mother appearing and putting a spanner in the works.

Thinking that probably the older woman wasn’t even in the country, she started walking again, heading for the parking lot. A grey cloud hung over her, and she made a conscious effort to push it aside. Nothing was going to spoil how good she felt, how comfortable she was with Thranduil. Her mother making contact could only mean one thing – trouble.

Her step slowed as she crossed the lot towards the CRV. Thranduil was standing leaning against the hood, talking on his phone. He tipped his head back and laughed, sending shivers down her spine.

He was stunning.

His long blond hair rippled down his back, he had one ankle crossed over the other, and his eyes were sparkling with laughter. Those eyes turned and met hers as she approached, and he shifted, holding his hand out to her.

“Ok, I will tell her,” he said into the phone. “No problem. Talk to you soon. Love you, son.” He ended the call, sliding the cell into his jeans pocket. “That was Legolas,” he told her, dropping a kiss on her mouth. “He says hi.”

She smiled. “He should come over when he gets a break from uni,” she replied.

“He said he has a fortnight off at the beginning of next month, so he might fly over then,” he told her. He leaned off the car, going around it and opening her door for her.

His simple gesture touched her heart; an old-fashioned move that made her appreciate how much of a gentleman he was. “We’ve got a lot to do to the house before he gets here then,” she said. “I really want to finish our room and maybe one of the other bedrooms too.”

He raised one eyebrow at her as he slid into the driver’s seat. “Every time we start painting, you seduce me,” he said. “And we do not seem to accomplish much.”

She laughed. “That’s your fault for teasing me,” she told him.

“What? How is it my fault?” he demanded, starting the car.

“Because you always look so damned sexy,” she retorted. “And kissable. And biteable.” She leaned towards him, meeting his soft lips with her own for a kiss. “And it’s bloody distracting.”

He roared with laughter. “I cannot be held responsible for your dirty thoughts,” he said, steering towards the exit. “That my dear, is for you and you alone to sort out.”

“Maybe if you weren’t as cute it wouldn’t be a problem,” she accused. “Every time you reach up to paint the wall, you always expose your stomach, or your back, or something.”

His laughter continued. “What do you want me to do, wrap myself from head to toe in a drop-sheet?”

“Yes,” she replied immediately. “Think of the fun I would have unwrapping you.”

“Incorrigible,” he laughed, shaking his head as he steered them in between cars on the road.


	34. Blast From The Past

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think I made a balls-up of the last two updates and posted them in the wrong order, so I've deleted them and reposted in the RIGHT order. Head's all over the show x

** CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR **

****

Bard flew over as agreed, and landed on the Saturday, the club’s busiest night. After settling him in at their house and having a meal together, Thranduil suggested that he accompany them to Indigo’s. Bard was eager to see what his business partner was involved in, and readily agreed.

Amay worked the floor as usual, leaving the two men to catch up and talk business, or whatever it was they talked about when they were together.

“Who’s the cute guy with boss?” Ray demanded, having caught up with her partway through the night.

She laughed, bouncing on her heels in time to the Beatmasters’ Rok Da House as it thundered through the club. “That’s Bard,” she replied. “And no, he’s not your type,” she added as he opened his mouth. “He’s a widower, with three kids. He and Thranduil run their company together over in the UK.”

Ray pouted. “I’m sick of all these fucking gorgeous guys appearing around you and none of them are available!” he snorted in disgust. “I hate you, Peach.”

“Good,” she retorted. “’Cos I hate you too, you muppet.”

He grinned, moving beside her in time to the beat. “I haven’t heard this in years,” he commented.

“Me neither,” she said. “Some of the old shit is the best. So much better than the crap coming out into mainstream music right now.”

“You’re just getting old,” he observed, and dodged the slap she swiped in his direction. “But getting old gracefully!” he tacked on with a laugh.

“I’m going to get some coffee and go see my other half for ten minutes,” she grinned, leaving him bopping away to the music. “Behave while I’m gone.”

“No sex up there!” he roared at her retreating back.

She flipped him her middle finger over her shoulder as she headed towards the bar, instructing Gary to prepare three coffees. Taking them upstairs, she went into the office to find Thranduil and Bard laughing.

“Having fun?” she asked, setting the cups down and leaning over to kiss Thranduil.

“Just reminiscing,” he replied, murmering in pleasure as his mouth touched hers. “How are things downstairs? Do you need me down there?”

“No, behave yourself,” she said, sitting on the edge of the desk. “It’s fine. No trouble, everybody’s having a good time.”

“Good,” he said with a nod. “I was thinking we should take Bard round the city tomorrow, to see some of the sights.”

“Great idea,” she said. “There’s some gorgeous places to see, make sure and take your phone for photos.”

“I never go anywhere without it,” Bard replied. “My children would kill me if I returned with nothing to show them.”

“It’s a pity you couldn’t bring them,” she said.

He wrinkled his nose. “They would’ve missed school,” he told her. “Bain is studying hard for his final exams, and the time lost would be precious to him.”

“They can always come another time,” Thranduil put in, drinking his coffee. “There will always be a place for you and them here, you should know that.”

“I do, and I thank you for your hospitality,” Bard replied with a smile.

“I’m just mad we didn’t get round to finishing the decorating in the bedroom,” Amay muttered. “Time just seems to fly past these days. I wonder where the weeks and months are going.”

“You know what they say, time flies when you’re having fun,” Bard said. “You two must be having fun.”

Thranduil smirked, but kept quiet.

Amay shook her head, sliding off the desk. “I have enough to put up with, with Ray making smutty comments all the time,” she laughed.

“Is he still doing it?” Thranduil asked.

She grunted. “Just yelled something about no sex up here when I said I was bringing you guys a coffee,” she replied. “Honestly, he’s obsessed. Anyway, I’m going to head back down, ok?”

“Be careful,” he said, pulling her closer for a kiss.

“I always am,” she smiled against him. “I’ll catch you later.”

She left them and hopped back downstairs, searching for her deputy manager in amongst the hyperactive dancers who bounced and leapt around the floor. She cut through them, circling round as she searched, and came up empty.

Frowning, she chewed on the side of her mouth as she wondered where the hell he’d disappeared to. A hand grabbed her wrist, spinning her round with a not-too-gentle grip.

“Looking for somebody?” a voice demanded.

Amay froze.

The hatred in her ex’s eyes glared back at her.

*****

“Get your hands off me,” she hissed, wrenching her arm.

His grip tightened, cutting off the blood supply to her hand. “I knew it was you in the papers,” he growled, tugging her nearer. “Only you would manage to fuck your way into a lucrative position with a millionaire.”

“What are you talking about?” she demanded, struggling to free herself. And failing.

“Oh, the newspapers back home are having a field day with the takeover your boyfriend’s company managed to pull off,” he hissed, venom in his words. “They ran a piece on how he’s running this place as well as his company, with his _girlfriend._ They forgot to mention you’re a cheap, lousy whore.”

“Fuck you,” she snarled. “What the hell are you doing here?”

“I thought I’d check it out for myself,” he replied, his grip still like iron as he glanced around. “I’m planning on making a few investments myself, and you could be my way in.”

“Forget it. I’m having nothing to do with you and whatever dodgy shit you’re mixed up with,” she retorted. “I want nothing to do with you.”

“Tough,” he growled, and she gasped in agony as his grip tightened even further. “You have access to unlimited amounts of cash.”

“No I don’t,” she spat. “And even if I did, I still wouldn’t entertain you!”

“You don’t have a choice!” he yelled in her face, making her jump back a little, straining against the grip on her wrist. The loud music prevented anyone around her from hearing his vicious tone. “I want in, and I want a share.”

“You know what the fuck it is to want, then!” she yelled back. “Go fuck yourself, Danny. Fuck you.”

“Problem, Peach?” Ray’s voice said behind her in a menacing tone.

Danny glared over her shoulder at him, slowly releasing his hold. “I’ll be seeing you around,” he told her, disappearing into the crowd.

Amay’s head lowered, and Ray’s arms circled her from behind, pulling her against him as she sagged.

“I think I know who that was,” he said in her ear, his strength supporting her so she didn’t hit the ground. Her legs felt like jelly, and she was grateful he was there. “You need to tell boss.”

She whipped round, fear in her eyes. “No, and you don’t say anything either,” she said, panic rising in her. “Forget what you saw.”

Her friend frowned. “Don’t keep this from him,” he warned her. “You know how mad he goes when he thinks you’re in trouble.”

“I’m not in trouble,” she insisted, rubbing her wrist. “He turned up out of the blue to try his luck, that’s all.”

“My ass,” he snorted. “That’s gonna bruise,” he added, lifting her wrist and inspecting it. Even under the coloured strobe lights, the flesh had started to darken.

“It’ll be fine,” she said as she snatched it away. “Just forget everything. I’ll deal with this. Myself.”

“Fine,” he sighed in angry frustration. “But if this goes wrong, don’t you dare get me involved. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” He turned and strode away from her, and she felt so alone as she watched him vanish into the crowds, a heavy sadness falling over her heart.

*****

Amay pulled on her devious side for the rest of the night, putting on her light bomber jacket with the excuse that she was feeling the cold, knowing the long sleeves would hide the bruise that had spread right around her wrist.

Thranduil hadn’t commented, distracted by the conversation between himself and Bard, which flowed on long after the club had closed and they’d returned home. She’d disappeared upstairs for a shower, then went off to bed saying she was tired.

Nobody had objected.

Thranduil eventually settled into bed beside her shortly after four o’clock in the morning, stretching out along the length of her body and softly kissing her cheek as she slept. Heaving a deep sigh, she rolled over and threw her arm over him, tucking her head onto his shoulder.

He frowned, lifting her hand from his chest.

Something had caught his eye in the dim light.

A purple bruise circled her wrist, just above the paw-print tattoo.

A bruise that hadn’t been there previously.

He slowly rubbed his thumb over the mark, casting his mind back through the evening. She’d been fine when she had taken coffee upstairs for them, talking away as normal and nothing had seemed out of place. After that, the next time he’d seen her she was wearing her jacket, which he hadn’t really paid much attention to at the time.

Now he knew why.

Something had happened, and he was going to find out what.

*****

Amay stretched and relaxed again, muttering softly in her sleep. Her brain slowly started to wake, the brightness of the sun creeping into her subconscious even though her eyes were still closed. Taking a deep breath, she slowly opened her eyes.

Thranduil hovered over her, his hands on either side of her on the bed. Ice blue eyes stared into hers.

She frowned. “What’s up?” she asked, yawning.

“What happened last night?” he asked, his tone cool and calm.

“Last night? Uh…we had a busy night, then we closed up and came home,” she replied. “Why?”

He pursed his mouth, watching her. “You know what I speak of,” he said after a short silence.

“I know my back’s sore and I need to sit up,” she said, pushing at his chest to move him.

He didn’t budge. He didn’t have his weight on her, but hovered astride her bracing his weight on his arms.

“Thranduil, move,” she said. “Let me up.”

“Tell me what happened last night,” he repeated.

“Nothing happened last night,” she said. “What’s wrong with you?”

As quick as a flash, he moved, grabbing her right arm and lifting it. “This is what’s got into me,” he snapped. “How did this happen?”

“Oh fuck,” she murmered, gazing at the dark discolouration. “I didn’t think it would mark like that. One of the customers was jiving around and lost his balance, reached out and grabbed me as I was passing,” she told him. “I didn’t think it was that big a deal. It was an accident.”

Thick eyebrows arched down over ice blue eyes. “Is that all?”

“Of course it is,” she said. “The guy just toppled off balance, that’s all. He lurched out to stop himself from falling, it’s a reflex action. What’s the matter with you?”

He eyed her as he sat back, folding his arms over his chest. “I sincerely hope you are not lying to me,” he said, a warning in his softly spoken words.

“I’m not,” she said sharply. “I am getting a bit pissed off though, because I really need to move, and I really need to pee. Move your arse and let me up.”

He complied, noting that she hadn’t done her usual practice when she awoke, which was to grab him in a passionate kiss. Watching her silently, he decided that he didn’t believe what she had told him, and she was hiding something from him.

Hurt sliced through his heart.

Why would she lie to him? Her happiness meant everything to him, _she_ meant everything to him. He’d move heaven and earth for her, he’d turn the universe inside out and upside down for her. But the feeling that she’d told him an outright lie wouldn’t leave him.

She emerged from the bathroom shortly, tugging on her robe on the way. “Are you in a better mood yet, Cranky Man?”

He smiled, deciding to play along with her. “Of course, I’m not in a bad mood,” he replied. “I just didn’t want to think that anything had happened to you while I was elsewhere.”

She halted in front of him, running her hands through the lengths of light blond hair that cascaded over his shoulders. “You worry too much,” she murmered, fascinated with his hair. Lifting her gaze to his, she stepped closer, her eyes drifting closed as she pressed her lips against his warm mouth. Humming in pleasure, she lifted her arms and crossed them at the back of his neck, adjusting her stance as he slid closer to the edge of the bed and parted his thighs, pulling her in between them. Large warm hands drifted up her back, the heat infusing itself into her through the silk of the robe.

“I’m guessing our guest is preparing a cooked breakfast for us,” he murmered against her neck as his mouth trailed kisses on her flesh. His wet tongue swiped over her skin. “It would be rude not to join him, as much as I would rather continue this.”

She smiled, leaning her head towards him as she rubbed his shoulders and upper arms. “I’m in agreement, although it’s very tempting to stay up here,” she said.

He pulled back, looking up at her as she stood slightly taller due to him being seated on the bed. “We can always pick up where we left off, later on,” he said. He ran a fingertip down her cheek and over her bottom lip. “I love you. I worry about you.”

Something flashed through the depths of her blue eyes so fast, he wondered if he had imagined it.

“I love you too, and there’s no need to worry about me,” she answered. “The guys at work wouldn’t let anything happen to me; they’re terrified of you!”

“And so they should be,” he said dryly, rising to his feet as she took a step back. “I will have their heads if any harm comes to you.”

Stifling a giggle, she took the hand he held out to her and followed him downstairs. His warm fingers gripping hers gave her a boost of reassurance, and she relaxed after telling him a lie up in their bedroom.

*****

Ray’s gaze faltered under the icy glare of Thranduil’s.

 

“I know Amethyst tells you everything,” he said, his tone cold. “And I know she isn’t telling me the truth about how she acquired a bruise last night. I also know that more than likely, you know something.”

His deputy manager fidgeted. “Look, I’m going to say _two_ words, and take out of them whatever you want.”

Thranduil waited, his arms folded over his chest.

“Security footage,” Ray said, and quickly left the office.

Thanduil’s eyes followed him, narrowing as the door closed at his employee’s back. Moving swiftly, he tapped at the keys on his laptop, bringing up footage from the previous night. After calculating roughly what time Amay had been in the office with himself and Bard, he settled back and put the visual onto multiscreen, where he could observe footage from several different CCTV points.

He leaned forwards in the chair he’d seated himself in, frowning. There was Amay, winding her way through the crowds, apparently searching for someone. He watched a man of similar height to her grab her, grabbing her round to face him, and zoomed in. He looked angry, and Amay looked terrified. She pulled, trying to free herself, but the man wouldn’t let her go.

Thranduil’s blood boiled as he watched.

Several times she seemed to be trying to pull away, but the grip on her tightened; he could tell by her expression that she was in pain. His breath left him audibly as Ray appeared, obviously warning the guy off, and his heart sank as he watched Amay almost collapse backwards against him.

This idiot had scared her.

And he was going to scare _him._


	35. Truth

** CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE **

****

Amay smiled as she crossed the dance floor, empty of dancers due to the fact it was late morning. The staff who were cleaning and organising for the following day greeted her as she passed, immersed in their own tasks. She bounded up the stairs, singing along to the trance mix of Eye Of The Tiger that played unobtrusively.

“Hey,” she grinned, opening the office door and finding Thranduil standing with his back to her, gazing out over the main floor.

He turned, a warm smile on his face as his gaze settled on her. “Did you get what you needed?” he asked, unfolding his arms.

She nodded, setting the paper bag on the desk next to his laptop. The screen faced the window. “Yeah. I was lucky the store was open today. I’d have been stuck without gloss paint.”

He opened his arms, and she stepped into them. “Tonight is supposed to be a night off, remember? Yet you are planning on working yourself like a work-horse,” he said, rubbing her back as she nestled against his firm chest.

“I really want to finish the bedroom,” she murmered into his hooded top, the fabric soft against her face. “You smell amazing…new shower gel?”

“Yes,” he replied. “Your sense of smell is astounding.”

She laughed. “I quit smoking years ago, and can unfortunately smell every damned thing now,” she chortled. “That’s not always a good thing. But it is in this case.”

“I have a strong sense of smell too,” he said softly. “I can smell bullshit from a mile away.”

She stiffened in his arms as the second half of his statement held a streak of vicious anger. “What d’you mean?” she asked, gazing up at him with a frown.

Cold ice blue stared back at her.

She swallowed. “Thranduil-“

“Do not lie to me,” he hissed, his rage evident in the stormy blue. “I have asked for nothing from you, except honesty. Yet you continue to lie to me.”

She pulled away from him, her face pale and frightened. “What are you talking about?”

He grasped her shoulders and whirled her to face the desk, where his laptop lay open, the screen facing her. The image of Danny gripping her wrist and yelling at her was frozen on the screen.

She opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out.

Thranduil waited in silence, an imposing presence at her back.

Staring at the screen, she couldn’t think of a logical excuse as to why she’d been in that situation, why he’d been gripping her like that.

Thranduil dropped his hands from her and circled around in front of her, his eyes never leaving her face. Anger radiated from him in waves. “The truth, Amethyst.”

She swallowed again. “That’s Danny,” she whispered. “My ex.”

The muscle in his cheek tensed as he clenched his teeth. “The bastard who tried to destroy you as a woman, as a human being?” he ground out.

She nodded, her eyes burning with unshed tears. “It’s all over the newspapers in the UK about the takeover your company did, and there was an article about you running this place with me.”

His chin lifted fractionally, his furious gaze still focused on her. “And?”

“And nothing. He was trying to push his luck,” she said, her voice quiet. She kept her eyes down, refusing to look up at him.

He breathed silently, watching her like a predator. “In what aspect?”

“Just saying bad things about me, how I’d slept my way into a good job, that sort of crap,” she replied.

He slammed the laptop closed, making her squeal in fright.

Her terrified eyes lifted to his, and he had to force himself to remain where he was. Her face was chalk white, her eyes huge and filled with tears just waiting to fall, and her lower lip trembled as she fought with herself for composure. She lifted a hand to tuck her hair behind her ear, and he noticed the visible tremor.

His heart was filled with grief, but he had to stay strong.

“I have promised you I would never hit you,” he said, his voice dangerously low. “And I stay true to that promise. I will never lift a hand to you. But I am furious, Amethyst. Absolutely furious. Furious that you continue to lie to me, furious that you do not trust me enough to come to me with these things.”

She opened her mouth to speak, but he cut her off.

“I have never harmed you, and I never would. I have done everything I can to show you how much you mean to me, how precious you are to me, yet you do not value our relationship enough to trust me,” he said.

She shook her head, tears finally overflowing. “It’s not like that,” she whispered, looking anywhere but at him. “It’s not.”

“It certainly looks like that from where I’m standing,” he said softly.

She dragged a deep breath into her lungs, running her hands through her hair as she turned and sat down on the couch, holding her head in her hands as she started to cry harder.

Thranduil waited.

“He wants to make some investments,” she sobbed. “He thinks I have access to money and can finance it. I told him I didn’t, but he wouldn’t listen to me. I told him I want nothing to do with him, but he said I have no choice. Then Ray came over and he let me go, said he’d see me around.” Her chest heaved as she gasped for air in the following silence.

Strong, warm hands firmly removed her hands, tipping her head up so she would look at him. He had moved with no noise, and was kneeling before her on the floor, sadness and heartbreak in his eyes.

“I already know every word that was said,” he said softly, his eyes searching hers. “I am fluent at lip-reading. I wanted you to tell me.”

She gazed at him, her heart breaking. “Why put me through that?” she whispered.

“Because you have to learn to trust me,” he told her. “I would _never_ hurt you, Amethyst, you need to get used to the fact. I never would. I love you far too much. If you cannot come to me when things are going wrong, what hope do we have for us as a couple? As husband and wife?”

Her tears flowed faster. “I’m scared,” she admitted.

“Of what? Him?”

She nodded. “I can’t believe he found me.” Her words were unsteady, her whisper broken and laboured.

Thranduil leaned towards her, closing his eyes as he rested his forehead against hers for a few seconds, before sliding his arms around her and pulling her off the couch so she sat astride his thighs. Her arms went around his neck and he locked hers around her back, rocking her from side to side as she cried. “He will not touch you again,” he promised, his velvet voice caressing her like a lover’s touch. “Ever again. I will make sure of it.”

She took a deep shuddering breath. “He’s vicious,” she gasped, fighting her tears.

He pulled back just enough to look at her, tipping her chin once more so she would look at him. “So am I, when it comes to protecting you,” he said. “He has done more than enough damage in the past; he will do no more. No more.”

Fearful blue eyes held his, and he could read just how terrified she was inside. He brushed his full mouth over hers, a soft butterfly kiss to ease her soul and her heart.

“I’m sorry I lied,” she whispered, tucking her face against his neck. “I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t want you caught up in this, he’s an evil bastard and I don’t want you associated with him.”

“I can handle him,” he said. His strong arms provided a safe comfort from the horrors that were going through her mind, memories of the past that she had tried hard to bury and forget. “You will not be alone Amethyst, no matter what happens now or in the future. I promise you, you will never be alone.”

Her arms tightened around him. “I love you so much,” she whispered. “You don’t deserve this shit.”

His chest expanded against her as he took a deep breath. “I am not going to justify that with a response,” he said. “Who did you turn to when you were with him, and things were bad?”

“Nobody,” she answered quietly. “There wasn’t anyone.”

“What?” He pulled back again, frowning as he studied her. “Nobody at all?”

She shook her head. “He alienated me from my friends that I had at the time, convinced me they didn’t want me around. And you know about my mother, so I couldn’t talk to her.”

His nostrils flared in anger. “I’m going to destroy him,” he vowed. “If he puts one finger on you again-“

“Thranduil, there’s something I have to tell you,” she interrupted. “Remember the day I was out at the store and you were talking to Legolas on the phone?”

He nodded.

“Ray sent me a text. Somebody had called here looking for me, said she was my mother.”

He didn’t react for a few moments. “And how does that make you feel?” he asked finally.

“Like shit,” she admitted. “I told Ray not to tell her anything, or mention it to anyone. It was like if I ignored it, it would go away.”

He gently drew his thumbs across her cheeks, wiping away the trail of her tears. “But life does not work like that, my darling,” he whispered.

“I know,” she said. “I can’t help but think that the call and Danny appearing are connected.”

“Probably. Do not stress about this, I will take care of it,” he told her. “I mean it. You have been through more than anyone should have to go through, I do not want you suffering anymore.”

“I do trust you,” she said, after a silence. “I just try to protect you from shite like this. You don’t need it.”

He tilted his head as he contemplated her words. “Neither do you,” he said. “And your problems are my problems. Therefore they are not problems anymore. See?”

“What?” she asked with a confused frown, and he laughed.

“Just believe me, and believe in me,” he said.

“I do,” she whispered.

*****

Bard frowned as he folded his arms, turning his back to the window. “So what do you plan to do?” he asked.

Thranduil remained as still as a statue, watching Amay wash the CRV. “Protect her with my life,” he replied. “That bastard will do her no more harm, no more damage.”

“All good in theory, my friend,” the other man acknowledged. “But can you be with her around the clock?”

“We are seldom apart anyway,” he said, glancing at him. “Occasionally at Indigo’s she will go onto the main floor with the others and do her own thing, but even then she is never usually alone. Last night was an unexpected exception.”

“Does she mind you being her shadow?” Bard asked.

Thranduil smiled. “No. We’ve been like that since we started seeing each other.”

“I had noticed that you cannot seem to function like you used to, when you are not with her,” his friend smirked. “Which is not necessarily a bad thing, it’s just unusual to see you affected like this.”

“She’s my life,” Thranduil whispered, his eyes on her as she stood on her toes to wash the roof. The car was a little too high for her, and she leaned against it to reach across. “Everything has meaning now that she is with me.”

Bard inhaled deeply, turning to glance out of the window. “Love has hit you right between the eyes,” he told him. “And hard.”

Thranduil smiled. “Yes. And I wouldn’t change it for anything.” His smile turned to a grin as she stepped back from the car, lifting the bucket of water to toss it over the vehicle. His smile faded to a look of horror. “Oh my God,” he said, moving from his position. He shot over the floor, grabbing his hooded top from the couch and vanishing from the room.

Bard tipped his head back and roared with laughter.

Her t-shirt was soaked from her leaning against the car, and the white fabric was almost transparent. Unaware, she eyed Thranduil like he had two heads as he practically ran over to her, tucking her into the far-too-large top and zipping it up. She rolled her eyes and gesticulated with her hands – or the half-empty sleeves – as he spoke hurriedly to her, making Bard laugh even more.

He went through to the kitchen and put the kettle on, setting out cups for coffee when his friend undoubtedly hauled his lover back indoors.

True to his thoughts, Thranduil appeared steering Amay in front of him, babbling away about how he didn’t want anyone getting an eyeful of her. She in turn responded that no-one was around, and if they were, they shouldn’t be looking anyway. Colourful language peppered her words.

Bard chuckled heartily as he made the coffee, Thranduil guiding her purposefully up the stairs to get changed.

“You two are so suited to one another, it’s almost freaky,” he observed as he came back downstairs.

Thranduil sighed, running a hand through his long hair. “She will be the death of me,” he muttered.

“And you would not have it any other way,” Bard remarked, and his friend grinned in response.

“No, I would not,” he admitted.

*****

Amay moaned softly as Thranduil’s lips wandered down her neck and over her throat, sucking gently. His teeth grazed her skin, his long hair brushing her naked skin as he moved to lift himself over her.

“I want you,” he whispered. “I want to be inside you…I want to fuck you until you scream my name…I want you to come hard for me…”

Her knees parted and lifted around him of their own accord, flexing at his sides as his weight settled onto her.

“I want you to feel every pleasure I am going to bring you,” his erotic whisper continued as he licked a swirling path down towards her breasts. “I want you to scream until you have no voice left…I want you to explode in my arms over and over and over…” His mouth closed around her erect nipple, sucking in a rhythm that matched his hips gently thrusting against her, teasing her, but not penetrating her. “I want you to soak me with your come…I want to fuck you until you cannot stand…I want to make you mine in every sense…”

“I am yours,” she gasped, her fists clenching his hair as his tongue swirled around her nipple. “I’ve always been yours…I always will be.”

He gave her nipple a final flick with his wet tongue before moving lower, spreading her thighs wide as he wriggled further down the bed, settling himself mere inches away from the hot heaven that awaited him. Placing his hands under her knees, he forced her wide open to him, dropping soft kisses against her throbbing core. She inhaled sharply, lifting her hips to meet his mouth. His tongue darted out and rubbed her clitoris, slowly dragging back and forth before swirling around it and dipping lower to push into her.

A deep moan dragged itself from her throat as she thrashed, her head twisting from side to side. Her fists remained tight in his hair, holding him against her as she squirmed. He altered the pressure of his tongue with a soft chuckle. She was so responsive to him, and it seemed like she was permanently ready to climax at his touch. Her knees tightened around his shoulders, and he pushed harder to force them apart.

Her back arched off the bed as her head fell back, her bare feet twisting round to rest against the smooth muscle of his back. The warm flesh beneath hers rippled in silent response as he shifted slightly, trying to ease the ache from his erection that throbbed against his stomach, the hard flesh twitching in anticipation of being inside her. No matter what way he shifted, the ache only intensified, and he knew the only relief he would find would be when he was buried deep in the wet heat that beckoned him.

He took a deep breath, sighing in contentment as he focused on the beauty before him, rather than the painful ache between his own legs. His tongue changed tactic as he pushed hard against the thrashing limbs that were trying to close around him; flicking, rubbing, tasting, twisting, and pushing into her. Her gasping breaths turned to desperate whimpers and cries as she wriggled beneath him, her fingers tugging painfully at his hair in her passion. She started to groan, deep lustful moans that resonated around the large room. Giving her clitoris one final forceful lick, he pulled back and crawled up her body, crushing his mouth to hers.

Her legs flipped up around his waist, but he resisted the urge to thrust into her, battling a raging war within himself. Gripping her hair, he held her still as he ravaged her mouth, his tongue demanding access and taking it. She complied without thought or hesitation, hungrily accepting him and encouraging him. Loosening her grip on his hair, her hands trailed down his shoulders and his back, kneading and squeezing the solid muscle. Her legs flexed with superhuman strength, trying to pull him into her, but he was stronger and resisted.

“Why did you stop?” she gasped, tearing her mouth from his.

He smirked, saying nothing. Leaning back from her, he lifted her left leg and braced it up against his chest and shoulder, slowly pushing into her at last. His hips rocked steadily as he watched her, her eyes closing and her head tipping back as she groaned a long, low sound. Maintaining his pace, he kept his grip on her leg, running his other hand down her breasts and her stomach, rubbing the heel of his hand just under her pubic bone. Her body twisted and shifted on the bed, desperate for release from the heavenly torture he was inflicting on her.

Her eyes opened in astonishment as he released her and pulled out, her mouth opening in amazement.

He gripped her shoulder and her hip, deftly flipping her over and dragging her hips up as he rose up onto his knees. She braced her hands on the bed, automatically moving back towards him as he pushed into her again, so deeply, she could feel him against her cervix. His hair swept over her back and her arms as he leaned over her, his hands placed next to hers.

“Come for me, baby,” he whispered, his mouth brushing her ear as he spoke. “Squeeze me…make me come.”

He began to move, short, rapid thrusts that had her crying out with each one. Her head lowered as she dragged air into her lungs, her body balancing on the almost painful edge of pleasure. Her arms trembled with the effort of holding her weight, and her entire being felt like it was going to explode into a million pieces.

“Oh my God I’m gonna come,” she wailed, throwing her head back against his shoulder. “Oh my Godddddd..!”

Without breaking rhythm, he lifted a hand and clamped it over her mouth to stifle her screams as she literally went into meltdown. Convulsions wracked through her body, and she howled and cried against his firm grip over her mouth. He pounded harder and deeper into her pulsating core, her fluid soaking his thighs as she seemed to overflow around him. She backed against him as he thrust faster, and he dropped his head onto her back as he orgasmed and fired deep inside her.

Her arms finally gave way and she collapsed onto the soft bed with him on top of her, his body in deep spasms of his climax. Gasps of hot breath fanned over her shoulder blades as he struggled to regulate his air intake, his silky hair spread all over her sweaty flesh. She turned her head on the pillow, closing her eyes as she panted hard.

The minutes ticked past, neither of them moving. Neither had the energy or the willpower; too content to stay entwined with each other in a hot, sweaty, exhausted mess.

Thranduil moved first, placing a gentle kiss on her back as he slowly eased his weight from her. His large hand picked her hair from her face, and he smiled as he fought through the tangled mess to find her. Leaning down, her touched his mouth to her cheek in a soft whisper of a kiss.

“Are you alright?” he whispered.

“I can’t speak,” she mumbled, drained of energy.

He chuckled softly, the vibrations merging from his chest into her back. He rubbed his hand up and down the length of her spine as he waited for her to gather herself together.

“D’you think Bard heard us?” she asked.

“I don’t know,” he replied. “I do not care, either.”

“Oh my God,” she muttered, hoisting herself up onto her elbows. “I hope he didn’t.”

He grinned, slowly easing himself from her and rolling onto his side. Propping his head on one hand, he studied her. “What does it matter? The man was married and had three children. He knows what sex is. He hasn’t gone all his life without a good fuck once in a while.”

Her cheeks turned pink at his words. “I know, but…”

“You are too easily embarrassed, sweetheart,” he told her. “People have sex, they fuck like animals. Big deal. It’s not illegal. As long as you enjoyed it, that is all I am concerned with, not whether anybody heard us or not.”

“Oh I enjoyed it,” she murmered, her gaze dropping to his full mouth which curved into a smile.

“Then my mission is complete,” he whispered, leaning forward to brush his lips over hers.


	36. Devastation

** CHAPTER THIRTY SIX **

****

Vicky passed a coffee over the bar towards Amay and leaned her elbows on the polished wood.

Her boss slowly looked up at her. “What?”

She grinned. “Nothing,” she laughed, turning away again.

“What’s the matter with you lot this morning?” she demanded. “Ray’s been acting like he’s on something, now you’re all grins and smirks as well. I think you lot are fucked up.”

Vicky roared with laughter. “No, it’s not that. Have you looked at yourself lately, Amay?”

She frowned. “I did my makeup before I left the house this morning, but other than that, no. Why?”

Her friend shook her head, still grinning idiotically. “You’re fucking _glowing._ Thranduil is good for you; I’ve never seen you like this, honey.”

Amay smiled. “Yes, he is,” she murmered. “And I’ve never felt like this before. It scares me sometimes.”

Vicky’s smile turned into a frown in a heartbeat. “Don’t even go there,” she warned.

“Go where?” Ray demanded, sliding behind Amay and skidding to a stop beside her. “Is she disappearing for some hot, rampant sex?”

“Oh fuck off,” Amay muttered. “You’re a bloody boil on the arse of the human race, you twat.”

Ray chortled. “Nothing wrong with a good sesh,” he grinned.

“Sit your arse down and have a cuppa,” she told him. “I want to go over the playlist for tomorrow night.”

Vicky turned to make his coffee as he lowered himself to the stool next to his boss, wincing in pain.

“Are you alright?” she asked, frowning in concern.

“Yeah,” he replied.

She turned on her stool to face him, her frown deepening. “Actually, you look like shit,” she observed.

“Late night,” he replied.

One eyebrow lifted. “Hahaha, you dirty stop-out!” she laughed. “No wonder your arse is sore, you big slut.”

“Do you mind?” he said indignantly. “He was very gentle, if you must know.”

“Spare me the gory details,” she said quickly, lifting her hand to stop him going any further and spinning back round to her paperwork. “I do _not_ want to know.”

“I wouldn’t tell you anyway!” he huffed. “Details like that would be wasted on you, Peach.”

She snorted. “Don’t think you’re the only one who knows what a good time is. Now, get your peepers around this, tell me what you think.” She pushed the sheet of paper towards him, lifting her coffee and taking a drink.

“Mind if I share?” Thranduil’s velvet voice asked, as he appeared behind her and reached over her shoulder, taking the cup from her.

“Not at all,” she murmered, turning to face him. She smiled as ice blue eyes met hers, a sensual look in the blue depths as he took a drink. “I’ll share anything.”

Ray made vomiting noises beside her. “Oh, puh- _lease!”_  he groaned.

“Shut your face, Sore Arse,” she retorted. “Keep your nose in that list. Where’s Bard?” she asked Thranduil.

“Stuck in a corner with Sophie,” he replied, his gaze sweeping over to one of the seating booths. “She seems to have taken quite a shine to him.”

Ray grunted under his breath, and Amay glared at him.

“As long as she doesn’t hurt him,” she said, turning back to her lover. “He’s not here for long.”

“Neither was I, and look how that turned out,” he murmered, a soft smile curving his lips.

She grinned, tilting her head in agreement. “We were lucky.”

“That won’t mix into that track,” Ray said beside her, jabbing his finger at the track list she’d written.

She leaned over, scowling. “Yes it will,” she argued. “It’s the same beat.”

“It isn’t,” he insisted.

She sighed in frustration, pulling her phone towards her. “Why do people always think they know better?” she muttered, bringing youtube up on the screen. Instantly a remix of George Michael’s Father Figure blasted out, which she played for a few seconds. “See? Hear that?” She tapped the screen, and Enigma’s Sadeness played. “Same beat. Smart-arse.”

He humphed and grumbled under his breath.

“The sooner you realise that I’m always right, the easier your existence will be,” she informed him, turning back to Thranduil. “Kiss me.”

He grinned, lowering his head as he stepped closer, his warm mouth caressing hers. He tasted of coffee and peppermint, and she moaned softly as her tongue explored.

“Oh for fuck sake,” Ray grunted. “Give it a rest, you two.”

She ignored him, deepening the kiss and taking everything he could give her in that short contact she could have with him, given where they were. His tongue twisted around hers and her hands slid up his chest to his shoulders.

She smiled in lazy contentment as they separated, running her palms back down to his abdomen. His muscles twitched under her touch, a smirk settling over his mouth.

“Don’t you have work to do?” Ray spat.

“What the hell’s wrong with you? Didn’t you orgasm last night or something?” she demanded. “He had a date,” she explained, as Thranduil’s eyebrows rose in surprise at her tone.

“Alright, it was a date,” her friend snapped. “But it wasn’t that fucking wonderful.”

She rolled her eyes. “Give me strength,” she muttered. “Alright, gimme that,” she said, snatching the playlist from him. “Go find Mason, and give him something to do. The two of you can organise the stock in the basement according to date rotation. Get him out of my hair for a while, he’s driving me mental.”

“Yes, M’lady,” he sighed, getting to his feet.

Thranduil watched him as he disappeared, amusement in his eyes. “I’m going to take Bard out to lunch,” he said, turning back to Amay. “Will you join us?”

She made a face. “I can’t, babe. One of those review-y thingy places is coming over, remember? We need to get a good rating on their website, and I think I should probably be here for them. If I leave them in Ray’s paws, God knows what damage he would do.”

He laughed, lifting his hair over one shoulder.

She melted.

“Ok my love, I’ll look you up when we get back,” he said, leaning down to kiss her again.

“Miss you already,” she quipped, and he winked over his shoulder as he walked away. Heaving a sigh, she grabbed her papers and made her way through to the staff quarters to chase up Ray and Mason.

*****

Two hours later, Amay huffed in annoyance and dragged a case of bourbon along the hallway, intending to take it through to the bar. Whoever the hell had run out the night before had a responsibility to restock, or to a least mention they were out of that particular brand so someone else could restock.

“I’ll take it, Amay,” Mason offered cheerfully, materialising at her side.

“It’s fine,” she said, waving him away. “I’ve got this. It’s not rocket science.”

He blinked at her tone. “It’s too heavy for you to lift through,” he pointed out. “Here…let me.”

She gave up, rising to her full height and rolling her stiff shoulders. She’d struggled to get the crate up from the basement, but had managed.

Mason bent over to grasp the container, hesitating before he stood up again.

“What’s wrong?” she asked.

“Everything,” he said, shoving her against the wall behind her and crashing his mouth onto hers.

*****

Thranduil smiled at Vicky as he approached the bar. “Have you seen Amethyst?” he asked.

“Yeah, she’s giving the boys hell down in the basement,” she replied, restocking clean glasses. “The last I heard from her, she was bringing a crate of bourbon up. Somebody used the last of it and didn’t tell anyone.”

Thinking that the crate she was no doubt attempting to move herself was far too heavy for her to be lifting, he shook his head in mild amusement and headed for the back corridor that led down to the basement.

Pushing through the swing door, he stopped dead.

Amay was up against the wall, with Mason’s tongue halfway down her throat.

His heart stopped as she lifted her hands to his chest.

He spun around so fast, his head spun. Amay was cheating on him?? With one of the bouncers???

He heaved air into his lungs, turning in circles in silent despair. The world crashed down around him as he dragged both hands through his hair, and he took off up to the office at a run.

*****

Amay’s palms flattened against Mason’s chest, and she heaved as hard as she could, breaking the connection and sending him back two or three steps. Reflex action took over and she swung her arm out, his head reeling to one side with the force of her punch as it connected.

“You bastard!” she spat, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. “What the _fuck_ was that?!”

“I can’t help it Amay, I’m head over heels in love with you,” the bouncer said, in a pleading tone.

“No you’re not!” she yelled. “Do you know what Thranduil will do to you if he finds out what you did? He’ll take your fucking head off your shoulders! Jesus Christ, what’s got into you?”

“I love you,” he repeated, stepping towards her.

She held her hands up in defensive pose. “I’ll break your legs if you come any closer,” she warned, breathing heavily. “Don’t ever touch me again _. Ever._ Get the hell out of my sight. I need to decide if I’m going to tell Thranduil. You’d better hope and pray I find a good reason not to.”

Shaking his head in dismay, Mason slowly retreated. “I’ll always be here for you,” he said.

“Fuck off and grow up,” she snapped. She ran her hands down her face, her body shaking. Nobody had touched her in years except Thranduil, and she didn’t like anybody but him touching her. She felt dirty.

Taking a few deep breaths to steady herself, she decided to go up to the peace and seclusion of the office, needing some time to get herself together and sort things out in her head. If she told Thranduil what Mason had done, he would no doubt destroy the young employee. But a line had been overstepped, and she knew somebody had to reassess and reinforce those lines.

She opened the door to the office, surprised to see Thranduil at the window with his back to her.

“Hey. I didn’t know you were back,” she said, closing the door behind her.

He didn’t answer.

She frowned. “Are you alright?” she asked, crossing the carpet to him. “What’s wrong?” She placed her hand on his arm, and jumped in fright as he wrenched violently away from her.

“Do not touch me,” he hissed, turning to her.

She stepped back, shocked at his eyes. They were red and bloodshot, like he’d been crying. An intense rage burned in the icy blue depths.

“Do not fucking come near me,” he snarled.

“What’s happened?” she asked. Had something happened at lunch? Had he and Bard fallen out, had an argument over something?

“You know fine well what happened,” he spat, his words toxic. “I trusted you, I believed in you, I _loved_ you. And it wasn’t enough.”

Her eyebrows came down in a frown. “I don’t know what-“

“I fucking saw you!” he screamed, stepping towards her.

She backed off as he loomed over her.

“How many other staff are you fucking behind my back?” he roared. “How many? How long has this been going on?”

“I’m not fucking anybody behind your back!” she cried. “He grabbed me and kissed me, I didn’t kiss him back!”

“I saw you, you fucking tramp,” he growled. “I saw you! You cannot deny what I saw!”

Her heart hammered in her chest. “You didn’t see everything!” she shouted. “Will you calm down and let me talk?”

“No!” he bellowed. “I want to hear nothing from you! No more lies! No more bullshit! All you have ever done is twist the truth to suit yourself! No more! We are _finished!”_  Hatred flowed through him, side by side with his anguish and heartbreak. He knew his words were cruel, but he didn’t care. He wanted to rip her heart out the way she had done with his, and didn’t care how he did it.

Her jaw dropped in horror and tears filled her eyes. “Thranduil, listen to me,” she pleaded.

“No!” he screamed. “I wish I had never met you.” He said the words slowly and deliberately, and she went even paler, knowing he was throwing her words back at her from months ago. “Get out of my life. I never want to see you again.”

She shook her head, her tears flowing fast. “Listen to me!” she yelled. “I did not kiss him! I pushed him away!”

He shook his head in denial, turning his back to her. “I believe nothing that comes from your filthy mouth,” he hissed. “I shall transfer Indigo’s over to you. I want nothing to do with you or here ever again.”

“I don’t fucking want Indigo’s!” she screamed at his back. “I never did! All I want is you!”

“Fuck you,” he snarled over his shoulder.

She stepped back, her body shaking as grief thundered through her veins. “You don’t mean this,” she whispered.

“Don’t I? Watch me,” he snapped. “I have done everything I could for you, tried so hard to make you happy. Yet you start fucking around with some horny fucking waster just out of high school.”

“I’m not!” she cried. “You have to believe me! I’m not fucking around with anybody! He seems to think he’s in love with me or some bullshit! I never instigated anything!”

“I don’t want to hear!” he shouted, his angry tone echoing around the rooms. “I should never have trusted you! I should never have given in to the bullshit nonsense you’ve told me!”

“I’ve never told you bullshit,” she snarled, her anger matching his at his refusal to listen.

Icy eyes turned in her direction. “I think that every word that ever came out of your mouth has been a lie,” he growled. “Every single word.”

“You bastard,” she sobbed. “You absolute bastard! How can you say that?”

He glared at her for a few seconds. “I promised I would never harm you,” he said coldly. “I suggest you get the fuck out of my sight.” He turned away from her again, waves of rage emitting from his body.

She breathed hard, shocked at what had happened and at a loss as to what she should do. Lifting her eyes once more to the stubborn set of his back, she slowly turned and left the room, stunned.

*****

Thranduil stood in the bedroom, absorbing everything around him.

Amay’s sneaker sticking out from under the bed. Her eyeliner on the window ledge. A book she’d been reading tossed face down onto the bed, one of the pages folded over. A catalogue of cross-stitch designs from when she’d spoken of taking up her hobby again. A CD next to the television. A sketch she’d done of him stuck to the bathroom door with blu-tack.

He moved like lightening, trashing the room within seconds, howls of rage and grief ripping from his soul. Curtains torn from the rails, windows smashed under his fists. Holes punched through the bathroom door. The bed destroyed. Pictures torn from the walls. Her clothes pulled from the closet and ripped to shreds.

He punched the wall, hard enough to put a hole in the plaster. Strong arms gripped him from behind and wrestled him into the middle of the room, away from anything he could destroy further or that would injure him.

“Stop this, man, get a grip of yourself,” Bard yelled at him, struggling to hold him immobile. “You’re going to do yourself an injury if you keep this up.”

The energy drained from Thranduil like a balloon bursting, and he sagged forward, howling in grief, tears blinding him. Bard maintained his firm hold on him, in case he lashed out again.

“Come on, man. Let it out,” he said, his tone low. “Let the pain out of your system.”

The two of them sunk to the carpet, Thranduil’s cries of anguish cutting through his friend like steel. His arms stayed firm, holding his tightly against him so he couldn’t move. Thranduil didn’t move, he just sobbed and cried his heart out like it was the end of the world.


	37. Broken Warrior

** CHAPTER THIRTY SEVEN **

****

The next morning rolled around, the sunlight revealing a scene of devastation. Bard stood in the doorway of the bedroom, shaking his head as he observed the destruction over his coffee.

It had been a long night.

Thranduil hadn’t slept. He’d stayed awake and drunk enough alcohol to floor an elephant, cursing Amay and calling her every name under the sun. He’d paced the floors, ranting and raving, alternating between anger and anguish as he’d switched from shouting and yelling to crying and back again.

Bard had questioned why she’d disappeared without returning to the house to take anything. Her bank cards, her car keys, everything had remained where she’d left them the previous morning.

Thranduil had spat that he didn’t care, it would all be going in the trash anyway.

No amount of reasoning would get through to him. Bard had pointed out that he was cutting his nose off to spite his face by refusing to hear what she had to say, and that he himself didn’t believe she had cheated on him.

That had earned a wine bottle smashed off the far wall as he’d exploded in temper, screaming and bellowing that his own eyes hadn’t lied. His dirty slut of an ex-girlfriend had lied.

Bard had given up after that, knowing that there was too much alcohol in his system to get through to him, and he wasn’t thinking clearly.

He’d dragged himself off to the club a little after nine o’clock, tired and sullen, and looking like complete shit.

Bard sighed, and walked away from the room back to his own.

*****

Thranduil sat with both elbows on the desk, his head in his hands.

“Hey boss,” Ray’s cheerful voice greeted him. “Is Amay around?”

“No,” he replied, without looking up.

Silence.

“Is everything alright?”

“No.”

“Where is she?” he pushed.

Thranduil lifted his head and glared at him. “Just fuck off, Ray. Just fuck off.”

The deputy pursed his mouth, stepping further into the office and closing the door firmly. “What the hell’s going on?” he asked.

Thranduil’s eyes changed, from blood-shot anguish to anger. “I thought I told you to fuck off,” he warned quietly.

“I don’t give a rat’s ass what you told me,” Ray counteracted. “Amay’s my best friend…what the hell’s going on? Where is she?”

His boss slowly rose to his feet, looming over him as he leaned on the desk. “This has nothing to do with you,” he hissed.

“Wrong,” Ray shot back. “I’ve known her for years, I know every thought she has, every chink in her armour. What the hell happened? I’m not leaving until I know.” He folded his arms in a determined display of defiance.

Thranduil glared at him, and probably any other man would have backed away, but Ray didn’t. “We broke up,” he said, after an agonisingly long silence.

“Why?”

“That’s none of your business,” Thranduil snapped. “It’s between myself and her.”

“ _Her?”_ he parroted. “So she doesn’t deserve her name now?”

Thranduil closed his eyes and shook his head, exhausted, still partly drunk, and not in the frame of mind to deal with life. “You are pushing my patience to the limit,” he said.

“Good. Maybe I’ll get some straight answers from you,” he said. “You don’t scare me…as a boss maybe you do, but that’s it. When it comes to Amay, she has my full backing, and you’d better not have hurt her.”

Thranduil snorted. “Or what?”

Ray glared at him. “Or you might just find yourself with no fucking staff and you’ll have to shut this place down,” he replied. “Amay’s well liked, she has friends who will go to bat for her. What the fuck did you do to her? Where is she?”

His shoulders sagged. “I do not know where she is,” he said. “I thought she would have gone to your place last night.”

“She didn’t go home last night?” he asked incredulously. “Thranduil…what have you done?”

“I didn’t do anything!” he yelled, frustrated. “I caught her with someone else.”

Ray blinked, stunned into silence. “Amay wouldn’t look at anyone else,” he said, almost to himself. “Who? Where?”

“That fuckwit you were working with yesterday,” he replied, his voice so low, Ray struggled to make out what he was saying.

“Mason?!” he screeched. “Fuck off. Not a chance.”

“I saw them together!” Thranduil shouted.

“I don’t give a flying fuck if Jesus saw them together,” Ray snorted. “I’m telling you no way. I know Amay. I know how fucked up she is when it comes to you. The woman couldn’t even tell you her goddamned name when you’re around.”

Thranduil glared at him. “I saw them,” he whispered.

Ray huffed in annoyance. “When? Where?” he demanded again, pointedly this time.

His boss sunk down onto his chair, holding his head in his hands again. “Yesterday,” he said softly. “When I came back from lunch. They were in the corridor to the basement.”

Ray frowned. “Something’s off right there for a start,” he said. “Mason went to use the toilet, and came back with a sore jaw, like somebody had belted him. I asked what had happened, he said he slipped on the wet floor.”

Thranduil didn’t move.

“Oh for God’s sake,” Ray muttered. Grabbing his laptop, he whirled it round to face him, tapping furiously at the keypad to bring up the CCTV footage.

True enough, there was Amay and Mason, as clear as day, in the corridor.

“I’d look at this if I were you,” he advised, watching the screen intently.

“I do not wish to see again what I already saw,” the reply came.

Ray winced as Mason shoved her against the wall, the camera picking Thranduil’s appearance in the doorway just at that exact second. He disappeared, and a split second later Amay shoved Mason off her and punched him. The footage had no sound, but by her face and her body language, she was angry. Furious.

“If you care for her at all, make a point of watching this,” Ray snapped, turning the laptop back to face his boss. “I’m going out to look for her. You can do what the hell you like.”

He stormed out of the office, banging the door with vengeance on the way. Thranduil warily lifted his head, his eyes going immediately to the image frozen on the screen. Ray had wound it back to before the kiss, and his heart thumped an irregular beat as he hesitantly clicked on it.

The room spun around him and he felt like he was going to pass out, as the footage played before him.

*****

Thranduil left Indigo’s sometime afterwards and drove for miles. He searched everywhere, every place he knew Amay frequented. Several times he crossed paths with Ray, who was doing the same thing.

Neither of them saw or heard anything about her. Nobody had seen her, nobody knew where she was. Darkness gradually fell over the city, and sheer exhaustion pushed Ray into giving up and going home. Thranduil didn’t. He drove through the night, re-visiting places he’d already been to, asking the same questions over and over.

Still nothing.

The next day, Bard joined him, and they searched together. Ray had taken the initiative to close Indigo’s indefinitely the previous night, and was bright and alert to re-join the search as soon as daylight hit the streets.

He glared as he spotted Thranduil and Bard pulling to a stop a few yards in front of him.

“Anything?” Thranduil asked, rolling his window down.

He shook his head. “Not a word. It’s like she’s vanished off the face of the earth.”

Bard shook his head in the passenger seat, perplexed. “Does she have no-one she would go to overnight, like yourself?” he asked.

Ray shrugged. “She’s never said. I know she used to come to my place a lot, so I don’t know where she would be this time.”

Thranduil leaned his head back against the head rest of his seat. “Please tell me she hasn’t been out in the cold all night,” he whispered.

“You’ve only got yourself to blame if she has,” he said viciously.

“Come on, man, we need to focus on finding her and bringing her home,” Bard said quickly. “This is no time for blame, or for hatred. We are allies in this.”

“I deserve it,” Thranduil whispered, tears burning his eyes.

Ray’s heart softened. “Listen. I don’t know what was said,” he began.

“I said such horrible things to her,” he said. “Evil things. Things I should never have even thought, never mind said aloud.”

“And I don’t want to know,” he continued. “We’ll find her, believe me. She’ll turn up sooner or later. I know her, remember? Indigo’s is her baby, she won’t turn her back on it. Not permanently.”

“She hasn’t accessed her bank account,” he said, his voice still no more than a hoarse whisper. “She has no money with her, that I know of. No change of clothing, nothing.”

Bard’s worried eyes met Ray’s. “You need to rest, my friend,” he said gently. “You’ll do yourself no good in this state.”

He shook his head stubbornly. “I will rest when we find her,” he ground out. “Until then, I keep looking.”

*****

Unknown to any of them, Amay was aware of their fruitless search. She sat next to the open window of an abandoned tower block, having taken refuge in a dark corner overnight away from the elements. She nursed a take-away coffee, having had some money in her pocket to be able to get some when the store across the street opened.

She saw Ray’s anger, even though she was too far away to hear the conversation. She saw the heartache on Thranduil’s face, the exhaustion, the strain.

Her heart ached to a painful level.

He had done this to himself, she reminded herself. He had pushed her away, told her to get out of his life, told her he never wanted to see her again.

If that was his wish, that’s what he would get.

She would make sure of it.

*****

Days passed.

Amay took a train and looked up one of the bouncers who had worked with her in her early days at Indigo’s, telling him not a lot, but enough to secure her a shower and an interview in a bar a few blocks away. She lied through her teeth in the interview, saying that after Sam had passed, things weren’t the same, and she needed a fresh start.

The bar manager had taken her on, impressed with her experience. She made no mention of the fact that she owned half of Indigo’s, nor of the trouble that had caused her to leave.

The days turned into weeks.

She crashed every night on a battered old couch in the damp apartment of the bouncer she had turned to, and with her first pay check had found herself somewhere to live.

The apartment was dire. It was small, damp, and in a rough area of the city. The shifts in the bar were long and hard, the pay ridiculously low, and she went home at the end of each one tired beyond belief. Each night she curled up in bed and cried until she could cry no more. Her heart and soul ached for Thranduil, for the comfort of his arms, for his kiss, for his presence. Instead, a cold, empty space made its presence known every night as she lay in bed alone.

Her appetite dropped. Her weight dropped. She didn’t care anymore.

*****

Thranduil had turned into a wreck.

Bard had taken extended emergency leave, remaining with him for a further month. Together they scoured the city, but came up empty-handed. Ray had eventually re-opened Indigo’s, but Thranduil never made an appearance. The staff wondered what the hell was going on, and Ray told lie after lie to keep them out of the hell that was happening around him.

Each night, Bard would insist Thranduil turn back towards home, in desperate need of rest. Instead of resting, he would drink until he couldn’t stand. Everything turned into an argument, or a screaming match, or something being smashed or destroyed in his anguish. Bard couldn’t reach him as he sunk further and further into an abyss of darkness. Each day seemed to be worse than the one before, and he wondered how much more his friend could take before he ended up in an early grave.

*****

Three months passed.

Thranduil hired a private investigator to find Amay, but still searched every day for her. Bard had returned to the UK, unable to remain away from the company and his children any longer. Legolas’s suggested visit had been postponed. Thranduil had put him off without giving the real reason why he didn’t want him there.

The world seemed to be going to hell at speed, and there was nothing he could do to prevent it.

Thirteen weeks to the day he and Amay had last seen each other, the investigator called him with an address. His hands had shaken uncontrollably as he’d held the phone, his breathing ragged as his heart pumped furiously in his chest. Tears had flowed down his cheeks as he’d ended the call, and he was terrified to believe that she had been found.

*****

Pulling to a halt outside the address given, Thranduil switched the engine off and gazed up at the building before him, dread settling over his shoulders. He glanced at the piece of paper he held in his shaking hand, then back at the building. Taking a deep breath, he slid out of the car and made his way inside.

The stench of urine and rotting garbage assaulted his senses as soon as he stepped inside, the air acrid. Graffiti covered every surface as far as the eye could see, with piles of garbage and abandoned furniture everywhere.

He headed up the stairs, avoiding pools of unknown fluids at his feet. On the second floor, he shook his head as he headed down the hallway. Several lights overhead were missing, more than a few doors had been booted clean off their hinges, holes smashed in the walls on either side of him.

Halting outside the door of the given address, he took a few breaths to steady himself, and slowly tried the handle.

The door opened under his touch, and a bolt of fear shot through him. Why would anyone leave their door unlocked in an area like this? Moving noiselessly, he walked along the dark hallway towards a semi-closed door, drawn by the light on behind it.

Amay sat with her back to him on a wooden chair, leaning on a table, reading. She wore light blue pyjamas, her bare feet crossed at the ankles beneath the seat. Her heels were blistered and raw. His breathing stopped as he gazed at her back, unable to believe he’d finally found her.

Amay lifted her eyes, meeting his in the reflection of the window in front of her. She’d been aware of his presence the second he’d entered her space, his familiar scent filling her senses.

She didn’t move.

“What d’you want, Thranduil?” she asked quietly.

He swallowed nervously, walking slowly towards her. He didn’t know what to say, so gently placed his hand on her shoulder.

She shrugged it off immediately, and he blinked hard to keep his emotions under control.

She didn’t move, just continued reading.

He pulled a chair over, lowering himself gingerly onto it, bringing himself within two feet of her, at her side. She ignored him.

He was so close he could smell her shampoo, her body lotion. He could see the dark purple circles under her eyes. So close, but he dared not touch.

“I’ve missed you,” he said softly.

She didn’t react.

“What are you reading?” he asked, desperate to break the silence.

“The Guide To Happy Relationships,” she said, her voice humourless.

“Amethyst, please come home,” he pleaded in a desperate whisper.

“I am home,” she told him. “This is closer to where I work.”

“But it’s not your home,” he said. “It’s…it’s…”

“It’s what?” she demanded, turning her head to look at him. His appearance shocked her, but she didn’t show it. Like her, he had lost weight and looked like he hadn’t slept in days. “A dump? Not a millionaire’s dream place to live?”

He lowered his gaze to his feet, his teeth clenching.

“Money can only buy you so much,” she said. “It can’t buy you happiness, or a faithful girlfriend either, for that matter.” She turned back to her book.

“Amethyst, I know you didn’t cheat on me,” he whispered brokenly.

She inhaled deeply, lifting her gaze from the pages to stare out of the window in front of her. “Too little, too late,” she said, and went back to her book.

He shifted closer to her. “Amethyst, please,” he begged. “I’m sorry for what I said, what I did, what I put you through-“

“I don’t care,” she interrupted him, turning to look at him. The heartbreak in his gorgeous eyes almost undid her. “You wouldn’t hear me out, you wouldn’t listen to what I had to say, you wouldn’t believe me. You ended it, not me.”

“I know I have done so much damage to us,” he said.

“Us?” She shook her head. “There is no us.”

“Baby, please,” he pleaded.

She sighed, pushing herself away from the table. “You shouldn’t be here,” she said, lifting a fluffy bath-robe from the hook behind the door and putting it on.

“Neither should you,” he said. “You belong with me.”

“No I don’t. I don’t need you.”

“I need you,” he whispered.

_Stay fucking strong,_ she thought. “What are you hoping to achieve here?”

“I need you to forgive me,” he said. “I need you to come home again.”

She almost laughed. “So that’s it? You think you can just snap your fingers and everything’s alright? Everything goes back to the way it was? I don’t think so. I don’t believe in miracles, and neither should you.”

“But I love you!” he cried. “I’m sorry! I was wrong!”

“Good for you,” she snapped, irritated.

“I don’t want you here,” he said.

“I don’t want you here either,” she shot back.

“You’re my girlfriend, Amethyst, you’re my heart and soul!” he cried.

“Not anymore!” she yelled. “You put paid to that when you threw me out of your life like yesterday’s trash. I don’t like being treated like that, and I don’t know many women who would. I’m stronger now than I was in the past. Much stronger. I don’t need you, I don’t want you.”

Tears slid down his cheeks, his eyes conveying so much hurt and pain. “I can’t ever undo what I’ve done, but I can’t stop loving you,” he said. “I was so wrong, and I want to fix that. Tell me what to do, and I’ll do it. I’ll do anything.”

“Leave me alone,” she replied, using everything she had inside to stay strong. All she wanted to do was step into his arms and make everything alright again, but he had hurt her so deeply, and she didn’t know if she could get past that.

She turned and went into the small bathroom, slamming the door. Tears flowed silently down her cheeks, and she lifted her hand to her mouth to stop herself from crying out loud. She’d gone this long without him, and she could continue to for the rest of her life.

She emerged from the bathroom a few minutes later, having composed herself.

Her composure splintered into a thousand shards as she set eyes on him. He stood on the other side of the table, a brown file open in his hands. Grief-filled eyes lifted to hers, tears flowing rapidly.

“You’re pregnant,” he whispered.


	38. A Father's Anguish

** CHAPTER THIRTY EIGHT **

****

The air seemed to vanish from the room.

He remained motionless, just staring at her in shock as his tears flowed freely. “You’re having twins,” he managed to whisper. “You’re having my babies.”

She blinked, breaking her inability to move as she tightened the bathrobe around her. “This changes nothing,” she said, determination in her voice.

“My God…you’re pregnant,” he repeated. His hands trembled as he glanced back at the folder, and he placed it back on the table. “I thought…”

“That they’re someone else’s?” she bit out.

“No! No,” he said, shaking his head. “I thought you couldn’t have children.”

“I thought that too. But obviously fate has other ideas.”

He slowly walked over to her, his eyes never leaving hers as he moved. Seconds ticked past as they stared at each other, both of them stretched to the limits in their grief but refusing to back down. He gently opened the edges of her robe, his gaze dropping to her still-flat abdomen. “May I?” he asked softly.

She didn’t respond.

One large hand tenderly settled against her stomach, his eyes closing as he mentally sent his love to his unborn children. “How far along are you?” he whispered.

“Fourteen weeks,” she answered quietly.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” His voice broke as he opened his eyes again to a flood of tears.

“You made your choice, I’ve made mine,” she said, pulling away from him and closing the robe back over. “I want nothing from you.”

“Please don’t shut me out of their lives,” he pleaded. “Whatever wrongs I have done, don’t take it out on the babies…don’t deny them their father, please.”

She stepped around him and went over to the window, gazing out into the darkness. “I’ve made a place in life for myself,” she said. “I don’t need you.”

He moved to stand behind her, placing his hands on her shoulders. She closed her eyes, her resolve a hair’s breadth away from shattering completely.

“How are you going to manage?” he asked. “How are you going to manage to feed and clothe them? Look after them? Work and take care of them? How are you going to pay hospital bills?”

She shrugged, ignoring her tears. “I’ll manage.”

“Let me help you.”

“No.”

“Please, Amethyst,” he begged. “I never stopped loving you. I’ll always love you. I’ll always regret what I did.”

A sob escaped, and she bit her lip, annoyed that it had caught her off-guard. “You don’t treat someone you love like that,” she said, bitterness in her voice. “You don’t cut them off and cast them out of your life if you love them that much.”

“I was wrong. I made a huge mistake,” he said. “I wish I could go back and change it.”

“Well you can’t,” she ground out.

“You think I don’t know that?” he cried. “You think I don’t regret every second we’ve been apart? You think I don’t wish I hadn’t come back to Indigo’s when I did that day? Because I do Amethyst, I regret it with every cell in my body. I wish I had done things different.”

“But you didn’t,” she said over her shoulder. “You wouldn’t listen to me, you wouldn’t let me talk. I was so in love with you, I’d _never_ have looked at anyone else. Never.”

“Was?” he asked through his tears.

“It’s me and the babies now,” she said.

“God, no,” he cried, turning her to face him and gripping her hands in both of his. “Please, God…no. Tell me you don’t love me, and I’ll go.”

She gazed up at him, tears flooding down her face, her heart pounding furiously.

“I’ll take care of you and the babies, but I’ll go,” he whispered.

She couldn’t speak.

She struggled to breathe, the sobs threatening to overwhelm her. The room was getting too hot, the floor was tipping up and the walls were closing in. She pushed away from him and ran into her bedroom, slamming the door closed behind her. She sank down onto the bed, her head in her hands as she sobbed her heart out.

A few seconds passed, then strong but gentle hands gripped hers and pulled them away from her face. Thranduil was kneeling on the floor at her feet, his heartbroken eyes pleading with her. He closed the gap between them and brushed his mouth over hers, in a soft whisper.

“Tell me you don’t feel anything for me, and I’ll stop,” he murmered. “Tell me you don’t love me, and I’ll go.”

She closed her eyes, the feeling of his soft mouth on hers too much for her to take. His lips continued to caress hers in slow, unhurried, warm movements.

“Tell me,” he whispered.

“I can’t,” she cried, tangling her hands in his long hair. “I can’t.”

He put his hands on her waist and applied enough pressure to slide her off the bed and onto him. She sat astride him, so her rear was on his thighs and her knees were on either side of him. He gently forced her mouth open under his and swept his tongue inside, causing her to cry out into him in pleasure. She wound her arms around his neck as he slid his hands up her back, crushing her to him. The kiss grew stronger, deeper, more meaningful. Desire flared between her legs as her body ached for his. She pushed her hips into his as he kissed her, feeling his hardness growing as she moved. His hands roamed up and down her back, across her waist and down to her rear. He kneaded and squeezed her cheeks, while twisting his head to get better access to her mouth.

She dragged her mouth away from his, her chest heaving as she fought for air. He took advantage of this and began to kiss his way down her neck.

“I need you, baby,” he panted. “I love you so much.”

She gripped him and held him as close as she could. “I don’t want to love you…but I do,” she gasped.

He gently pushed her off his legs and stood up, pulling her up and onto the bed. Pushing her down and covering her with his own body, he pushed her pyjama top up so her breasts were exposed to him.

Her whimper turned to a cry as his mouth closed over her nipple, which was more sensitive due to her pregnancy. His tongue flicked back and forth, causing her to jerk under him.

“Thranduil, I need you now,” she whispered urgently, pushing his jacket off his shoulders. Reaching down, she undid his jeans as he pushed her pyjamas down. “God, I need you.”

Ice blue eyes met hers and they stopped.

Unspoken words flowed between them, unspoken questions and heartfelt pleas that hadn’t been vocalised.

A tear ran down his cheek and dripped off his jaw, splashing onto her lower lip. She instinctively licked it off, her eyes silently begging him not to hurt her.

He lowered his head a pressed a kiss to her cheek, his lips maintaining contact with her skin for several long seconds. He turned slightly and touched his mouth to hers in the softest kiss as he settled in between her legs and slowly pushed into her.

She inhaled sharply, struggling to take him. Three months without him had been a long time. He nuzzled her ear, whispering soft words of love and encouragement as he kissed the soft skin of her neck. Closing her eyes, a tear escaped as he pushed in until he could go no further, buried deep in her cocoon of wet heat.

She gazed over his shoulder at the dark ceiling above them, thinking how she’d spent so long thinking she’d never have this contact with him again. Her eyes drifted closed as he began to move within her, slow, deep strokes that fanned the flames between them. Hands caressed and teased, mouths kissed and licked, teeth nipped and bit. The heat in the room built up, the sweat rolled off them. The sheets tangled around limbs as they rolled across the bed, lost in the pleasure they were both giving and receiving.

The tears rolled down her cheeks as she breathed deeply, inhaling the scent of her lover, gripping him as close to her as she could, drawing him as deep inside her as humanly possible. The knowledge that he would never leave her heart slammed into her with such force that she was glad she was lying down - if she’d been standing she would surely have been knocked off her feet with the force of the truth. No matter what happened between them, how many lies people told, how hard outside influences tried to turn them against each other, Thranduil was always going to be a part of her.

His movements gathered momentum as her body climbed towards satisfaction. His lips and tongue teased and loved her, his hands caressed and held her. His blue eyes stared deep into hers, searching her very soul for reassurance that everything was going to be ok between them; that they could go back to being a family. Lifting her head up off the pillow, she pressed her open mouth to his, sucking gently on his full bottom lip as she exploded, clinging to him like the world revolved around him and only him. He deepened the kiss, sweeping his tongue around her mouth and driving harder into her, rocking her climax on and on. His body tensed and flexed as he reached his peak, spilling his hot liquid into her as the colours flashed and burst behind his closed eyes.

Gasping for breath, he rolled over onto his back, taking her with him. His chest heaved with the effort of dragging in enough oxygen, the sweat pouring off him. Amay closed her eyes and relaxed as her breathing regulated.

And opened them again as she realised what she’d done.

She lifted her head and looked up at him, her eyes red and swollen from crying.

Ice blue gazed back at her, one eyebrow lifting slightly.

She sat up, pulling her pyjamas back on and fixing her top. Glancing round, she noted that he lay there for several seconds, his jeans still in a glorious state of being undone after what they’d just done.

“This was a mistake,” she said, pulling her robe around her. She sat on the edge of the bed, hunched over.

The weight on the bed shifted slightly as Thranduil moved.

He stood up with a sigh, fastening his jeans and straightening his clothing. “I don’t know what the hell’s going on here, Amethyst,” he said. “One minute you’re fighting me, then you’re all over me, then you’re back to hating me.”

“Moment of weakness,” she muttered, crossing her arms over her stomach. “We shouldn’t have done that.”

“Done what?” he demanded. “Made love? Spent the last twenty minutes or so in heaven with each other? Proven how good we are together?”

“It doesn’t hold a relationship together,” she said quietly. “Or build trust.”

He walked around the bed and stood in front of her. “No. People do. We do. We did, and we can again. I’ve said I’m sorry for what I did to you, what more can I say? Or do?”

She looked up at him, her eyes filled with sadness.

“Just leave me, Thranduil,” she whispered. “Just let me be.”

His heart dropped. He felt like he’d been kicked in the guts.

He stared at her blankly, stunned at how she’d closed ranks and turned on him again. Realising she wasn’t going to back down, he silently reached for his jacket and left the bedroom.

Left the apartment.

Left her life.

*****

Amay sank back onto the tangled bedding, tugging it around her as she cried her heart out. In half an hour she’d managed to undo every piece of heartbreak and hard work she’d gone through to get herself where she was mentally. One kiss from Thranduil, and it had all vanished, leaving her in a worse state than before.

She should never have given in and made love with him. Her body had missed him as much as her heart had, and his aroma from the bedsheets served as a painful reminder that things had never been so wrong between them. She clutched them tightly to her, her body wracked in tremors as her grief clouded everything around her.

Twelve and a half miles away, Thranduil cursed and slammed the brakes on, bringing the CRV to a screeching halt as it spun in a 180 in the middle of the road.

Lifting a hand to his head, he wondered what the fuck he had done. What was he doing now? Leaving his pregnant lover alone? Leaving her in one of the shittiest areas he’d ever seen in his life, with nobody to look after her? Abandoning her again?

Leaning his head back against the head rest, he swallowed as he gasped to regulate his breathing. Maybe he shouldn’t have taken her to bed, but one kiss and all sense of reason had been lost. His chest heaved as he panted, his mind working overtime to try and find a solution.

There was only one.

Throwing the car into gear, he gritted his teeth in determination as he floored the accelerator.

*****

Amay jumped in fright as the door to her apartment crashed open, her terrified gaze turning to the bedroom door.

Thranduil towered in the doorway, breathing hard. She was curled up where he’d left her, her face streaked with tears.

“I’m not leaving without you,” he said. “If I have to drag you kicking and screaming, I will. You cannot stay here, you cannot bring children into this. You belong with me. I love you, and I will not let you go. You are coming home.”

She didn’t reply; she didn’t trust her voice. She just gazed up at him, still crying silently.

He stepped over to the bed and dropped to his knees, wrapping his arms around her and dragging her over towards him, tucking her body against his. He rested his cheek on her hair, struggling to control his own tears. She trembled in his arms, and his heart constricted as he held her tighter.

“Everything’s going to be alright, sweetheart, I promise,” he whispered.

She shuddered against him. “I’m scared,” she said, so softly he could hardy hear her.

“Scared of what? I won’t let anyone hurt you,” he said.

She lifted her head and looked into his eyes. “I’m scared _you_ hurt me,” she said. “I can’t do this anymore. I can’t take anymore.”

His lower lip trembled as he closed his eyes briefly. “I will never hurt you again,” he promised. “I wish I could take back everything I said, everything I did…if only I knew how. I’ll spend the rest of my life trying to make amends for what I’ve done. I love you so much my darling, I can’t cope without you…” He trailed off, and she tightened her arms around his neck, knowing he’d won and she’d fallen under his spell again.

But she’d wanted to.

“What do you need to pack?” he asked, rubbing her back gently. “I want you out of here as soon as possible.”

“I don’t need anything,” she said into his neck. “Just the file for the clinic.”

He stood, lifting her in his arms, and strode through to the living room, where he bent slightly to retrieve the brown folder. Changing direction, he left the apartment without a backward glance.

He carried her down the two flights of stairs and out to the car, where he managed to open the door and deposit her gently on the seat. Going down onto his haunches, he reached over and secured the seat belt around her, raising his gaze to meet hers.

“I love you, Amethyst,” he whispered. He lifted himself to softly kiss her, before closing her door and circling the car to get into the driver’s side, starting the car. “I’m taking you home.”

*****

Amay flexed her toes on the soft carpet beneath her, gazing down at her bare feet. She took a deep breath, lifting her head and gazing around.

She was home.

Not really believing that what she was seeing was real, she stepped forwards, as if to prove to herself that she wasn’t dreaming. The familiar smells surrounded her, providing a comforting balance to her soul.

Thranduil walked behind her, almost scared to touch her.

She stopped in the doorway of the lounge, taking in the mess and destruction. Saying nothing, she turned and went into the kitchen. Her eyebrows lifted slightly as the sight that greeted her, and she turned to look at him questioningly.

“I fell apart,” he admitted softly, shoving his hands into his jeans pockets. “I couldn’t cope, and I lost control.”

She stepped around him, gently touching his cheek as she passed. “Do I want to go upstairs?” she asked.

He shook his head, his eyes lowered in shame. “No.”

“What did you do?” she questioned, concern in her gentle tone.

His eyes filled with tears again, and he swallowed. Shaking his head, he turned away from her, disgusted with himself.

“Thranduil, talk to me,” she said, touching her hand to his upper arm.

“The day we argued,” he said, stopping and hesitating. “I went crazy. I destroyed the bedroom. Completely destroyed it.”

“I have to see this for myself,” she muttered, turning and going up the stairs.

“Amethyst, no!” he cried, following her at speed. “Please, no. You’ll just hate me even more.”

“I don’t hate you,” she said softly. “If I did, you’d never have found me.”

She went along the upper hallway, stopping outside their bedroom and pushing the door open. Stepping inside, she wrapped her arms around herself and turned in a slow circle, taking everything in.

Sad eyes turned to Thranduil, who stood leaning against the wall, his head in his hands. She went over to him, gently grasping his wrists and pulling his hands down. “Stop punishing yourself,” she told him, sliding her arms around him. He returned her embrace, breaking down and sobbing hard as everything caught up with him. Three months of devastation, despair, regret, loneliness, and heartache.

She waited patiently, pressing tender kisses against his neck as he cried, her heart breaking for what they had been through. “There’s nothing here that we can’t fix,” she told him, holding the back of his head as she kissed his warm flesh. “Everything is fixable, baby. Everything.”

“Even us?” he gasped, trying to breathe through his anguish.

“Especially us,” she promised.


	39. Baby Steps

** CHAPTER THIRTY NINE **

****

A comfortable silence had settled over the pair as they sat curled up on the couch. Thranduil was exhausted after stressing for weeks and weeks on end, finally finding Amay, and then breaking down in her arms upstairs.

She in turn was exhausted too, from the stress on both of them, from the pregnancy, and from everything that had happened in the last few hours.

Turning her head, she gazed at him, offering him a small smile as his eyes met hers. “You ok?” she asked, her tone soft.

He nodded, swallowing. “Yes. No. I don’t know.” He ended with a shrug. “I have to let Bard and Ray know that you are home,” he added with a frown, digging his phone from his pocket. Typing rapidly, he sent text messages, getting an immediate response from both friends. He sighed. “Ray wants to come over,” he said.

Amay leaned forwards and sat her cup on the low table. “Tell him I’ll see him tomorrow,” she said. “We need tonight alone, just me and you. Just tell him I’m fine and I’ll be in touch in the morning.”

He typed out her reply and sent it through. “Bard is pleased you’re home,” he said, putting the phone on the couch at the other side of him. “He stayed an extra four weeks, helping to look for you.”

“That was nice of him to support you,” she replied. She looked at him again. “I knew you were looking for me.”

Sad blue eyes met hers.

“I saw you the day after we fought,” she told him. “You and Bard were in the car, talking to Ray.”

He frowned slightly. “Where were you?”

“Up in the abandoned block on the corner,” she answered.

He shook his head, seeming caught in an endless whirlpool of grief. “I want to know everything, Amethyst. Please tell me everything.”

“Why are you torturing yourself?” she asked. “What good will it do, for you to know everything?”

“I have to know,” he whispered. “I just have to know.”

She inhaled deeply, lifting her coffee again, and told him where she had spent the night when they’d parted, how she’d gone to the other side of the city and found an old work colleague, and how she’d found a job and an apartment.

“That apartment is shocking,” he said quietly, picking at something invisible on the couch. “I cannot believe you lived there.”

“I couldn’t find anything else within my budget,” she said. “It had to do, I couldn’t keep crashing on Martin’s couch.”

A silence fell over them.

“What about your job? Where were you working?” he asked after a while.

She named the bar, and his eyes shot to hers.

“Amethyst, that place is a bear pit,” he said.

“It paid the rent,” she said with a shrug. “I did what I had to do, end of story. I don’t understand why you’re so determined to hear this.”

Clenching his teeth, he took a deep breath. “Your feet are in a mess,” he said. “What happened?”

“Walking to work and back again,” she answered. “Thranduil, I don’t think-“

“I have to know!” he cried, tears filling his eyes once more. “I have to know what I did to you, what I put you through! All this was my fault! You lived in a run-down building that was dangerous, you worked in a cess-pit where you should never have been…I did that to you!” Tears flooded down his cheeks again. “I deserve every punishment that comes to me for what I did.”

She put her cup back down and slid onto her knees on the floor in front of him, wriggling her way in between his thighs and gripping his hands in her own.

Hands that trembled.

“Listen to me,” she said, softly but firmly. “You went crazy. You overreacted. I took off, knowing the relationship was over. Accept it. We _cannot_ rebuild what we had, or move on as a couple, if you keep holding on to it and destroying yourself over it. It’s over, it’s gone, it’s in the past. We’re a strong couple Thranduil, you’ve always said that. Now we need to pull on that strength and get through this, and you need to cut the past loose and leave it behind. Punishing yourself is just going to do more damage; do you get what I’m saying?”

The tremble in his hands remained. “I cannot forgive myself for what happened,” he whispered brokenly, tears dripping off his cheeks and splashing onto his jeans. “I don’t think I ever will be able to.”

“But you have to,” she told him. “I forgive you, so why can’t you? You found me, didn’t you? You brought me home, didn’t you? We’re going to work on things between us, aren’t we? You can’t do any more than that, babe. You have to make peace with yourself, and only you can do that.”

She gazed at him, torn apart inside at how distraught he was, wishing she could wave a magic wand and take his pain away. There was guilt, and there was soul-destroying anguish.

He had the soul-destroying anguish.

“Thranduil, you’re a strong person,” she whispered. “I know you are. You’ve come through a hell of a lot in life, and I know you have what it takes to come through this. I can too, but I can’t do it alone. I need you with me.”

She rubbed her thumb over the Celtic ring he wore on his index finger, so like the one she wore on the same finger, and waited for a reaction.

“I have a deal for you,” she said finally, as he remained silent, locked in an internal battle with his emotions. “We can spend all night if you want to, hashing over everything, turfing things upside down, analysing and dissecting every detail. But come sunrise in the morning, it never gets spoken about again. Deal?”

Shocked eyes lifted to hers. “How can we never speak of it again?” he whispered. “What I did was unforgivable-“

“That’s the shit I need you to stop,” she interrupted. “We have to move on from this babe, or else it’ll finish us, and I know neither of us wants that.”

He shook his head rapidly, pulling one hand from hers to wipe his cheeks.

“So do we have a deal?” she prompted gently.

“Where do you get your strength?” he asked, his voice ragged and broken.

“From you,” she replied. “And your babies.”

A cascade of fresh tears fell as he closed his eyes. “I will agree to what you propose on one condition,” he said after a while, opening his eyes again and looking at her. “I get to spoil you like crazy until the world stops spinning and time ends.”

She smiled, shaking her head. “You do that anyway,” she told him. “Kiss me.”

He leaned forwards, framing her face with both hands as his mouth touched hers, a soft, tender kiss that spoke of so many emotions raging around in his heart and soul.

Pulling back, she smiled at him. “Now, where the hell do we sleep?”

He made a face. “I have not slept in our room since the day we parted,” he admitted. “I couldn’t,” he added at her look of surprise. “It hurt too much.”

She pursed her mouth, tilting her head in acknowledgement. “Ok, there are other rooms,” she said. “I know we can’t both fit on the couch…what’s left of it.”

He released her and rose to his feet, stepping around her and disappearing up the stairs. He reappeared within a few minutes, stopping halfway down and beckoning her. She rose and followed him, going past their room to one of the spare rooms they hadn’t got around to decorating, which lay bare.

He’d dragged the mattress from their bed and placed it on the floor, adding the bedding. “Will this do for now?” he asked.

She smiled up at him, and nodded. “I can live with this,” she told him.

“What do you want to do?” he asked.

She took a deep breath. “I really want to soak in a bath,” she said. “I had a shower in the apartment, and I’ve really missed having a bath.”

“I shall prepare one for you,” he said, and moved to go past her.

She reached out and gripped his sleeve. “Prepare one for us both,” she said softly.

Ice blue eyes held hers for a second or two, and he nodded.

*****

It was after five o’clock in the morning before either of them fell asleep. Amay drifted off first, tucked tightly in Thranduil’s arms, exhausted and worn out. He stayed awake for a while longer, turning things over in his head as he stared off into the darkness. The sound of her breathing and the warmth of her body in his arms brought peace to his battered soul, something he thought he would never feel again as long as he breathed.

Come the morning, he awoke before her. He trailed his fingertips lightly through her hair as he listened to her steady breathing. Too contented to move, he snuggled into her and relaxed.

“I’m awake,” she said softly, stirring in his arms.

He smiled, leaning over her and kissing her, his touch loaded with so much tenderness, she knew he hadn’t managed to cut the ties that bound him to recent months. “Are you hungry?” he asked, lifting his head and brushing stray hair from her face.

“Yes, starving,” she replied with a smile.

“I’ll cook breakfast,” he said, pushing himself up. “Do you want anything in particular?”

“Sausages,” she said immediately. “I haven’t had any in a long time.”

He grinned, pulling his robe over his pyjama bottoms, and left the room.

Before long, they were seated across from each other at the breakfast bar, with Amay tucking hungrily into the massive plate of sausages he’d prepared.

“I’m going to call in a decorating company,” he said after a while.

Amay froze, her fork half way to her mouth. “Why?” she asked with a frown.

“Because my darling, we cannot live in the house in the shape it’s in,” he replied. “I do not want you in these conditions, and I do not want our children to be born into a house in this state.”

She clattered her cutlery onto her plate. “Are you insane?” she demanded, although there was no malice in her tone. “We can fix this.”

He shook his head. “No, we cannot. I am not having you undertaking anything strenuous in your condition. It’s best I pay someone to do what needs to be done.”

“Like hell,” she snorted. “This will be good for us. Time for us to be together, working together, building for our future. And those bloody companies charge an arm and a leg to carry out work. I wouldn’t give them the time of day.”

He sighed, tilting his head to one side as he regarded her.

“Scowl at me all you want,” she said, lifting her coffee. “I’m not agreeing to it, and I’ll just kick off the whole time.”

Amusement flickered in his eyes and he tried to hide it, but he wasn’t quick enough.

She pointed at him. “Ha! Gotchya,” she said. “I win.”

“I do not think it’s a good idea for you to be doing manual work,” he tried to reason with her. “You should rest.”

She _pfffft’_ d in disgust. “Not a hope in hell,” she said. “Honestly – I think it’ll be good bonding for us.”

Her blue eyes pleaded with him, and he found himself melting under her gaze.

“Fine,” he sighed. “But I get the final say on what you can and cannot do.”

“That’s what you think,” she muttered, and he glared at her. “Did you do anything about Mason?”

His face straightened. “No. I um…I haven’t…”

“Haven’t what?” she asked curiously as he trailed off.

A slight blush coloured his cheeks. “I haven’t been back to the club.”

Her eyebrows shot up. “What?”

“I went in the day after we fought, Ray had a real go at me – which I deserved – and he went through the CCTV footage. I left to look for you and I haven’t gone back.”

“Oh dear God,” she said softly. “Babe, you really did fall apart…so what’s happened to it?”

He swallowed. “Ray closed it for a while so we could look for you, then he re-opened it and he’s been running it. I couldn’t bring myself to go back there, and I was always out on the streets anyway. Or here. Damaging things. Getting drunk.”

She reached across and gripped his hand, squeezing it comfortingly. “We’ll take this one step at a time, alright?”

He nodded. “I don’t des-“

She leapt up and across the space, crushing her mouth against his in a fierce kiss. “Don’t ever say that again,” she warned him. She slowly sat back down, resuming her breakfast.

He watched her in silence for a while. “You’re eating like it’s going out of fashion,” he commented. “Did you eat regularly?”

Lifting her eyes to his, she shrugged. “Most of the time.”

He shook his head sadly. “You could never lie to me, sweetheart. You still can’t.”

“Let it go,” she told him, pushing her plate away as she finished. “I want to get dressed before Ray comes charging in here like a bull. Although to be honest, I think maybe we should go to Indigo’s to meet him. Sort some things out while we’re there.”

“Are you up to it?” he asked.

“I am if you are,” she replied. “I really don’t want to give him ammunition if he sees what you’ve done here, and he is pretty protective of me. I can’t fault him for that, but I’m not going to add fuel to his fire. I need to work on putting that fire out.”

“Why are you still trying to protect me, after what I’ve done?” he asked, his voice low.

“Because I love you,” she replied. “And I know I’m not the only one who suffered. And I also know we made a deal last night to move forwards…don’t think I’ve forgotten, mister.” She grinned.

He smiled back. “Go and get dressed, my love. I’ll text Ray and tell him to meet us at the club.”

She studied him for a second, before leaning over again and brushing her lips over his. “Aren’t you coming up with me?” she whispered.

Ice blue eyes shot open and stared into hers, just inches from his own as she moved back a little.

“Come on,” she coaxed, taking his hand and getting to her feet. “You can help me out of my pyjamas.”

*****

Ray glowered at Thranduil, who looked at the floor.

“Stop it, Ray,” Amay snapped. “I’m not going to spend the next six bloody months or so with you two at each other’s throats, or you-“ she jabbed a finger at her deputy “-bitching and snarling like a fucking bull terrier. Cut that shit out now.”

He turned his gaze to her, pouting slightly. “But Peach-“

“Peach nothing,” she said. “This is between us, and only us. We’re back together, we’re working through things, and you’re going to give him the respect he deserves as your boss. Do I make myself clear?”

“Crystal,” he muttered. “Sorry, boss.”

“That’s fine,” Thranduil sighed. “I’m giving myself a hard time as it is.”

“And you’ll be quitting that as well,” she told him. “Anyway…who all knows what happened between us?” she asked Ray.

“Nobody,” he replied. “I told the guys you were really unwell and needed time off, and that Thranduil was with you.”

“Smart thinking,” she acknowledged. “Stick to that story. Anything from Mason?”

“No. He’s been showing up and doing his shifts, albeit looking like a lost pup,” he told her.

Thranduil inhaled deeply. “Ray, you will find quite a generous bonus in your wage this month,” he said, folding his arms as he lifted his gaze from the floor. “I think I speak for both myself and Amethyst when I say you have gone over and above what has been expected of you.”

Ray glanced at Amay, unsure of what to say.

“Thankyou would be nice,” she said dryly. “Right. We’ll have a meeting with everybody when they get here, run a load of bullshit past them, and sort things out. The chances are we won’t be back for another two weeks…can you keep things going until then?”

“Of course I can,” Ray replied, after dutifully thanking Thranduil. “Take whatever time you need. And for what it’s worth…I’m really glad you guys are back together. Honestly.”

Amay smiled. “One more thing. I won’t be working the floor anymore. That’s your responsibility to cover now.”

“Oh…ok,” he said, nodding.

“We’re having a baby,” she said quietly.

Ray blinked. “What?!”

“Actually…two,” she said, and grinned as he flew from the seat, grabbing her in a hug before running at Thranduil and almost knocking him off his feet as he leapt at him.

“OhmyGod, ohmyGod, ohmyGod I’m going to be an uncle!” he screeched. “Twins?? Twins!” His enthusiasm was hilarious. “Oh I love babies,” he babbled excitedly. “If they’re girls, I get to buy little pink bows for their hair and frilly dresses to make them look like princesses and cute little matching teddy bears! And if they’re boys I-“

“Hold up, stop the bus!” Amay laughed, holding her hands up. “All this is fine and well, but you’re jumping the gun a wee bit! I’m only fourteen weeks dammit, calm down to a panic!”

Thranduil laughed, and Ray practically oozed mush at the thought of the impending arrivals.

Amay spent the next half an hour trying to kick him out of the office and back to work, until Thranduil gently guided him out and closed the door behind him.

“Your friends,” he said, shaking his head in amusement.

She grunted.


	40. Rebonding

** CHAPTER FORTY **

****

Thranduil glanced at Amay as she stood back, assessing the damage he’d just plastered over.

“I think that’ll be alright,” she commented, turning to him. “Once it’s painted, it’ll be as good as new. Nobody would ever be able to tell the difference.”

He shrugged dejectedly, going through to the en-suite bathroom to wash his hands.

She followed him with her eyes, deciding to keep her thoughts to herself. “Are we still going with the green?” she called through. “I did like it when we did it before.”

He reappeared, stopping in the doorway as he dried his hands. “I want to ask you something,” he said. “Well I don’t want to, but I need to.”

“What is it?”

“Do you still want to marry me?”

Her eyes went like flying saucers. “Of course I do!” she exclaimed. “Why, don’t you want to get married?”

He dropped the towel onto a chair as he walked towards her. “Yes, more than anything,” he told her, taking both her hands in his. “I just wondered if you still wanted to, after what we’ve been through.” Ice blue eyes met hers, the insecurity showing through loud and clear.

“Yes. I wanted to marry you when you proposed, and I still want to marry you,” she said. “That hasn’t changed. Start believing in yourself, babe.”

He nodded, and gave a small smile. “I just wanted to make sure,” he said. “I’ve also been thinking about the clinic you are attending. I do not feel you are getting the best care, my love. I want the best for you and our babies. Would you let me look into different clinics?”

She shrugged and nodded. “I don’t mind,” she replied. “But I need to pay off what I owe for my treatment so far, as I was paying in instalments.”

He frowned. “I will take care of it.”

“You will not,” she said. “Which reminds me – I won’t be here this evening.”

“Why not?”

“I have work to go to,” she said, pulling away and lifting her coffee. “I’m on the rota for the next two weeks and then I’ll need to work my notice.”

“Indeed you will not,” he snorted.

“Thranduil…I owe four weeks’ rent,” she said patiently. “I still have obligations.”

“And I will be taking care of those,” he informed her in a no-nonsense tone. “Amethyst, I do not want you working in that…that… _dungeon…_ of a bar. It isn’t safe, and I do not want you to go there.”

She eyed him over the rim of her cup. “I don’t like letting people down,” she said.

He sighed softly. “Please just go with me on this,” he said. “I will take care of the clinic and your rent, and I will call the manager of the bar. Please. Let me.”

“Oh I hate it when you say please,” she whined. “You know I’ll give in!” She made a noise of frustration, a cross between a growl and a wail.

He smirked, knowing he had won. “Leave it to me,” he said and lifted his own coffee. “When do you want to start painting?”

“That needs to settle until tomorrow, and completely dry out,” she said, indicating the plastered area with her elbow. “I think we can move on with fixing downstairs in the meantime.”

“I have already ordered replacement furniture,” he said. “It should be here tomorrow morning…so they said. I’ve paid extra for it to be fast-tracked.”

She shook her head. “Thranduil, you’re spending money like it’s going out of fashion,” she said quietly. “You shouldn’t.”

He scowled. “I can afford it.”

“I know you can, but that’s not the point,” she reasoned. “It’s money you’ve worked hard for, and you shouldn’t be throwing it around anywhere and everywhere.”

He said nothing, just looked at her.

“How did you find me?” she asked suddenly, a frown crossing her features.

“I hired a private investigator,” he replied smoothly.

“Oh God,” she muttered. “More money. How much did he cost?”

“Enough.”

“That’s not an answer,” she said.

“It’s the only answer I am giving you,” he said. “You are free to check my bank accounts any time you choose, and to use them. You already know this. I am not giving you the answer I know you will look for anyway.”

“I’m not a snoop.”

“I never said you were.” He grinned a devilish smile.

She gave a disgruntled _hmmph,_ and drained the last of her coffee. “I might go for a lie down,” she murmered. “Just for an hour.”

“Are you alright?” he asked immediately.

“Yes, just really tired,” she replied. “I forgot how pregnancy drains you. The babies are still developing and they need everything I have at the moment.”

He nodded. “I remember when Legolas’s mother was carrying him,” he said. His eyes shifted from the window to her. “She cheated on me.”

Her body stilled. “What?”

Silence.

“She cheated on me before she fell pregnant,” he said eventually, looking back out towards the gardens. “I had to wait until he was born before I could do a blood test.”

“Oh no,” she said, putting her cup down and taking his hand in hers. “You thought he wasn’t yours?”

“She didn’t know if I was his father or not,” he told her, glancing down at her then away again.

She caught the hurt and pain in that quick look.

“It was the longest pregnancy in the world,” he sighed.

She squeezed his hand. “No wonder you went off on one when you thought I was cheating,” she said. “Everything makes sense now.”

“It does not excuse my actions and reactions,” he said.

“Maybe, maybe not,” she said. “But it makes things a hell of a lot easier to take on board. It explains everything.”

He didn’t reply.

“How come you still married her?” she asked curiously.

He took a deep breath. “Because in my own way, I did still love her,” he answered. “And I’m old-fashioned. I felt it was the right thing to do with a child on the way.”

“Oh babe,” she murmered, rising onto her toes to kiss his cheek. “I’m sorry you went through that. Legolas is definitely yours though, even I can tell that much. He’s your spitting image.”

He smiled, gazing into his almost-empty cup. “Isn’t it strange how things turn out,” he murmered.

“I never try to second-guess fate,” she said. “Every time you think you have something sussed, fate roars _oh no you don’t_ and throws a spanner in the works.”

He looked at her. “I thought what I felt for her was love…and maybe it was, but it wasn’t like this. It was different…it’s difficult to explain. I do not understand it.”

“We’re two completely different women,” she pointed out. “And I would never, _ever_ even look at another man. I promise you that with all my heart and soul. You own me Thranduil, in every sense of the word.”

“I know you wouldn’t,” he said softly, and sighed from the pit of his stomach. “I have been such a fool.”

“Stop it,” she warned. “Or I’ll paint this bloody room bright pink.”

He grinned. “You can paint it pink if you wish,” he told her.

“Balls to that, I hate pink,” she snorted. “You never did answer my question.”

“Which was?”

“Green again?”

He grinned. “Yes. Come on, go to bed. I want to snuggle in with you.”

She hesitated, unsure of what he meant.

Holding his hand out, he grasped hers. “I know you’re tired, my darling. I just want to fall asleep with you in my arms. That’s all.” He offered her a loving smile.

“Lead the way,” she smiled back.

*****

“I don’t understand why you insisted we do this,” Amay grumbled half-heartedly as she inspected a t-shirt. She turned to look at Thranduil, who was leaning over with his forearms on the handle of the shopping cart.

“Because we need to do this,” he answered. “You have hardly anything left to wear, and I mean to rectify that.”

She scowled. “What I have is fine for the time being,” she said.

He shrugged. “You can say whatever you want, my love. I did the wrong thing by destroying your clothes, therefore I am replacing them.”

Shaking her head, she abandoned the t-shirt and moved further along the rail of tops. He immediately whipped it from the rail and tossed it into the cart, on top of a growing mountain of garments.

“I saw that,” she remarked over her shoulder. “You forget I have peripheral vision and very acute hearing.”

He grinned as she drew him a sideways look.

“Stop throwing money away!” she scolded him.

He left the cart and grasped her upper arms, turning her to face him fully. “I am buying you new clothes, I am going to spoil you something terrible, and there is nothing you can say, do, or think that will change my mind. So be quiet woman, accept the fact, and keep looking.” He finished by crushing his mouth against hers, taking her by surprise.

She burst out laughing as he pulled back with a smirk. “Oh, you are in one of those moods,” she said. “I can see you’re going to be trouble.”

He acknowledged her observation with a slight tilt of his head. “I aim to please.”

She snorted, turning back to the clothing. “What d’you think of these?” she asked, holding up a pair of soft grey joggers.

He frowned, taking them from her and inspecting them. “No,” he decided finally, handing them back to her.

“Why not? They look comfortable,” she said.

“They look hellish,” he corrected. “Your figure does not need to be bundled away in something so unflattering.”

“Ha!” she laughed. “Thranduil, I’m, pregnant, with _two_ babies…I’m not going to have a damned figure for much longer. I’m going to end up the size of a house. I need comfort.”

“And comfort you shall have, my darling,” he assured her. He frowned. “Perhaps we should be looking more for maternity wear, now you mention it.”

She opened her mouth to respond, but he was already striding off towards the maternity department on a mission.

“Do you need help, ma’am?” a store assistant offered cheerfully as she appeared at her side.

“Uh, no thankyou,” she replied. “I think he has everything under control.” She left her and headed off after him, to find him raking through endless styles and designs of clothing. “Having fun?”

Ice blue eyes glared at her. “No. This will not do. Come on, we’ll pay for this and go elsewhere.”

She groaned in despair. “Babe, just get me something comfortable,” she practically whined. “I need a coffee, dammit.”

His eyes lifted back to hers, concern present in the blue depths. “Are you alright?”

“Yes, just getting tired and irritable through lack of caffeine,” she grumbled.

He pushed the cart towards the checkstands, taking her hand as he passed and leading her alongside him. “We will put this through and find somewhere for you to sit and rest,” he told her.

She looked up at him, knowing it was pointless to even consider arguing with him. “You’re gorgeous, d’you know that?” she murmered.

He smirked, dropping a light kiss on her mouth. “Stop trying to divert my attention,” he said, taking his credit card out.

“I’m not,” she replied. “I just thought I would tell you. That’s all. No ulterior motives. Although I could murder a cheeseburger.”

“Then you shall have one,” he told her as he handed his card over.

Amay glared at the assistant serving them, who was practically drooling over him. “Maybe I’ll have you instead…naked,” she said deliberately, making the assistant blush and lower her head as she processed the payment.

Thranduil fought to keep a straight face as he slid her a sideways glance, knowing full well her territorial instincts had kicked in. “I’m sure I can arrange that,” he replied smoothly. “Thankyou,” he added to the cashier, taking his card back. He turned back to Amay. “Shall we find a hotel somewhere? Or will the back of the car do?”

“Back of the car,” she replied immediately. “Too much time looking for a hotel.”

He sunk his teeth into his bottom lip as he guided her and the cart out of the store, where the two of them started laughing hysterically.

“You have a wicked streak, my love,” he laughed.

“I have never denied it,” she said. “Bitch was almost falling out of her blouse trying to catch your attention.”

His shoulders shook with laughter as he opened the trunk and began loading their purchases inside. “I never noticed,” he said.

“I fucking did,” she snapped, but she was still laughing. “I notice everything.”

“You know I only have eyes for you,” he said from somewhere inside the trunk.

“Yes. That doesn’t open the door for every female on the planet to start making eyes at you and batting their eyelashes,” she said. “God, I’m starving.”

“Patience, sweetheart,” he said, closing the trunk and opening the passenger door. “You get comfortable and I’ll return the cart.”

She obliged.

He took her to a huge shopping mall where she promptly followed her nose and went straight for one of the many restaurants, finding one she liked on the first floor. Thranduil ordered a cheeseburger and fries for her, and chose a pasta salad for himself.

“Have you given any thought as to how you want to deal with Mason?” she asked, partway through their meal.

“What I really want to do is tear his arms and legs off,” he responded. “However…that may prove to be a little drastic when I have to explain my actions to a judge.”

She grinned, biting into her burger. “I would suggest just sacking him,” she mumbled through her food.

He nodded. “Yes. Much as I wish to exact my revenge, common sense and maturity is telling me to restrain myself. It’s boring being an adult sometimes.”

“Not all the time,” she murmered.

His eyes met hers, and he smiled. “No, you have a point there,” he agreed. “A point which we will need to explore when you have rested.”

She lifted her eyebrows briefly in acknowledgement. “This is amazing,” she said, indicating the burger. “D’you want some?”

He shook his head, lifting a forkful of pasta and holding it over for her. “Try this.”

“Mmm,” she said in delight as she took it. “Gorgeous.”

“No, I think you are correct,” he said, returning to their previous topic of discussion. “Do you wish to fire him, or shall I?”

She took a deep breath, thinking over her answer. “I have no problems sacking anybody,” she said, leaning her elbows on the table. “However…I think if you do it, it might make him see just how wrong he was. Plus it might help you to atone for the past few months in a weird way.”

He nodded as he continued to eat. “I understand what you mean,” he agreed. “Leave it with me. I’ll deal with it when we get home.”

She took a drink of her coffee. “Thranduil.”

His eyes lifted to hers.

“You need to let it go,” she said softly.

He gazed at her for a second, before lowering his eyes back to his plate. “I know,” he said, his tone equally quiet. “It will take me time though. More time that I think I am expecting.”

“Do you think I hold it against you?” she asked.

“I would not blame you if you did,” he replied.

“That’s not what I asked.”

He sighed. “You should. Unless you are an expert in masking your thoughts from me – which I do not believe you are – I honestly do not feel any resentment or bitterness from you.”

“And you never will,” she told him. “Things happen for a reason. I don’t know the reason for what happened to us; maybe it’s just one of those experiences in life that we have to learn from. Maybe it’ll bring us even closer, maybe it’ll encourage us to talk to each other before things get out of hand…I don’t know.”

“I should have spoken to you,” he admitted, pushing his almost-empty plate to one side. “I was just so _consumed_ with jealousy. I’ve never known jealousy and possessiveness like it.”

“It’s understandable,” she said. “Believe me, I know. Everywhere we go, women are eyeing you up like they’re starving and you’re the first meal they’ve seen in months. I understand jealousy.”

One corner of his mouth lifted in a faint smile. “You have nothing to worry about,” he said softly. “I was alone all those years until you came crashing into my life and blew me off my feet. I could never look at anyone else.”

She nodded. “I know,” she said, setting her coffee down. “But I look at you and wonder how the fuck you ended up with me.”

“Because I love you beyond anything else,” he answered. “You are the most amazing woman in the world, and although I hate your ex for what he did to you, if he had treated you properly I wouldn’t have you…so in a way it worked out in my favour…at your expense.”

She smiled, twisting her fingers through his across the table. “I get what you’re saying,” she told him. “It’s funny how life works. And d’you know what? I miss Sam like a part of me has gone, but I am _so_ glad you came over to Indigo’s. So, so glad, there are no words for it.”

He lifted his weight from his seat slightly, tugging her gently towards him and touching his mouth to hers. “I love you, Amethyst,” he whispered.

“I love you too,” she whispered back.

“Shall we finish up here and find the maternity store?”

She smiled, and nodded. “I’m not getting out of this, am I?”

“No,” he replied, standing and helping her to her feet. “I’m enjoying this.”

She looked up at him. “I know,” she said, and he laughed, sliding his arm around her waist.


	41. A Father's Awe

** CHAPTER FORTY ONE **

****

Sophie’s eyes sparkled dangerously as she grinned, leaning on the bar. “I think you should do it,” she said.

“Urgh…I don’t know,” Amay groaned. “What if Thranduil doesn’t want to know?”

“Know what?” his deep voice said as he silently appeared at her back.

She turned to him, grinning. “Sophie’s saying we should ask what sex the babies are at the scan,” she told him.

“Do you want to know?” he questioned.

“Yes,” she admitted. “I think I do.”

He shrugged nonchalantly. “Then we shall ask. It’s no big deal.”

She frowned. “I thought you’d want to wait until they’re born,” she said.

“I don’t mind knowing,” he replied. “At least then we can prepare a little more appropriately. Blue or pink, that kind of thing.”

“Or both,” Sophie put in. “Maybe it’s a boy and a girl.”

Amay grinned, swigging from her bottle of coke. “Ok, shall we head off then?”

“After you, m’lady,” he quipped, placing his hand on her lower back as she slid from the stool.

“Be sure and text me, let me know!” Sophie yelled after them.

“Yeah, yeah,” she called over her shoulder.

Outside, Thranduil dutifully opened the car door for her, and she fastened her seat belt.

“Are you excited?” she asked him, as he settled himself and started the car.

“Like you wouldn’t believe,” he answered with a grin. “I can’t wait to see my babies.”

“I’m sorry you missed the first scan,” she said, and turned to look out of the window as he pulled out of the parking lot.

“Do not go there,” he warned softly. “I may have missed the first one, but I promise I am going to be there for everything else. And I mean everything. And you know I keep my promises.”

She smiled, remembering their first kiss. “Yes, I know you do,” she said. “I need to go through the birthing plan while we’re in today; I hope you don’t get bored. It might take a while.”

“Why would I get bored?” he asked with a frown. “I plan to be part of it. I won’t be bored.”

“Some guys want to take a back seat when it comes to the yucky stuff,” she said. “One of my friends back in Scotland had a partner who bolted when it came to the birth.”

“I am not like that,” he said. The scenery flew by as they headed towards the clinic. “I intend to be a part of everything to do with you and our babies, in every aspect.”

“I’m glad,” she said with a smile. “It’s kind of scary.”

“You have nothing to be scared of,” he assured her, squeezing her hand with one of his while he drove. “We are in this together.”

“What did Legolas say when you told him?” she asked.

Four weeks had passed since their reunion, and Thranduil had told his son of the impending arrivals on the phone the previous night.

He laughed. “He practically started packing to come over while I was telling him,” he said. “He sent me a text this morning. He’s booked to come over for a week next Monday.”

“Oh, amazing!” she said excitedly. “Thank God we’ve caught up with the house. At least that’s finished.”

He nodded. “And I think he intends to return again once the babies are here, or nearer their delivery. He’ll tell you more when he gets here.”

They chatted aimlessly for the rest of the drive, and before long, Amay was lying on an examination couch squealing at the coldness of the gel the doctor was applying to her abdomen.

“Damn that’s cold!” she gasped.

The doctor grinned. “Sorry,” she said. “We hear that a thousand times a day.”

“Heat the stuff up then,” Amay grumbled.

“Dad, can you see the screen alright?” the doctor asked.

He nodded, comfortable standing at Amay’s shoulder holding her hand.

“Ok…here we go,” she said, almost to herself as she moved the wand over Amay’s stomach.

Silence filled the room.

A grainy image flickered onto the screen, showing two little white blobs.

Amay gasped in delight. “Oh my God, Thranduil – look!” she said, and turned her head to look up at him.

He stood solemn, staring at the screen.

“Babe?” she questioned nervously.

He turned his eyes to hers, tears gathering. “Our babies,” he whispered. “Those are our children.” A tear escaped and rolled down his cheek.

She smiled, lifting her free hand to wipe it away. “We made those,” she said softly.

“Do you want to know the sex?” the doctor asked, squinting at the image. Double heartbeats thumped rapidly from the speaker.

“Yes, please,” Amay replied, her fingers tightening around Thranduil’s.

They waited, almost holding their breath as the doctor grunted and frowned.

“Two baby girls,” she said eventually, and Amay screeched.

“Two girls!” she yelled excitedly. “Babe, we’re having two daughters!”

He laughed, wiping his eyes as he leaned down and embraced her tightly. “Thankyou so much, my darling,” he whispered into her ear. “Thankyou.”

She swallowed her emotions down, returning his hold. “We did this together,” she told him. “Me and you.”

He pulled back and kissed her, a passionate kiss that spoke of the depth of his feelings. “I love you so much.”

“I love you too,” she whispered, releasing the strangle-hold she had on his shoulders.

“Ok, I’ll print this off and you guys can keep a copy,” the doctor announced, freezing the image and tapping away at the keyboard. “I’m sure you’ll want to stick it up the noses of everybody you know.”

“Yes!” Amay laughed. “And even people we don’t know.”

The doctor laughed. “We’ll go over your birth plan in a few minutes, once we clean that goo away and get you more comfortable.”

The birth plan ended up fairly easy to work through. Thranduil insisted on a hospital delivery, which Amay agreed to and the doctor said absolutely – they wouldn’t have a choice. She then pointed out that given her history and the fact that they were having more than one baby, they would be doing regular scans and could possibly be looking at a C-section.

They discussed pain relief for a normal delivery, along with procedures for a section. Thranduil assured the doctor he would be with Amay throughout, no matter which delivery was implemented. The doctor went over aftercare with both of them, preparing them so they would know what to expect. Thranduil had vague memories from when Legolas was born, but it was all new for Amay. She absorbed everything like a sponge, and he could feel her excitement through the hand he held.

“Now what we need to do is pick names,” she said, halfway through the drive back to Indigo’s.

He laughed. “We still have twenty one weeks to go,” he reasoned. “There is lots of time.”

“It’ll fly past,” she decided.

“Believe it or not, it won’t,” he corrected her. “It’s like being a child waiting for Christmas. And the last few weeks will feel like they are going backwards, trust me. It’s so frustrating, and that’s only from a father’s side. You’ll be tired, sore, you probably won’t sleep much…it won’t be that much fun for you, my love.”

“Cheer me up!” she laughed. “I’m still excited.”

“And so you should be,” he told her, flashing a grin at her. “It’ll be the most wonderful day of our lives when the babies are born.”

Back at the club, they were surrounded by staff mushing over the scan picture, with everybody suggesting potential names for the developing princesses.

“Get yourself to fuck,” Amay snorted at Ray’s suggestion of Raymona for one of the girls. “Not on your life!”

Thranduil laughed heartily. “I like names that are different,” he said. “Exotic. Unusual.”

She nodded. “Me too. Although where my parents got Amethyst from is anyone’s guess.”

“They called you that because you’re a precious jewel in my life,” he whispered, kissing her neck and pulling back with a knowing smile.

“Urghh…mush,” Ray grunted. “What about Thranduilla?”

“What about up yours?” Amay spat. “Behave yourself, dammit. What’s the matter with you?”

He laughed, getting up to answer the phone as it rang.

“How about Akila?” Vicky suggested. “If I remember correctly, it’s Egyptian. I think it means intelligent, or something.”

“I like that, although it sounds too much like Akita, which is a mutt,” Amay answered. “I heard somebody call their child Amaris when I was out shopping last week, and I thought it sounded really sweet. I looked it up, it’s Hebrew I think.”

Thranduil nodded. “I like Amaris,” he agreed.

“Well if we’re going with the Hebrew theme, why not have Adira?” she said. “I’m pretty sure it means strong…or something.”

Stevie laughed. “With you two as parents, I think that’s quite appropriate,” he noted. “Amaris and Adira…they go well together.”

Heads nodded collectively.

“Amay…phone for you,” Ray called over, setting the receiver onto the bar as he headed back over towards them. The look in his eyes told her this was not a business call, and she tilted her head in silent question.

“Mother,” he whispered as he passed.

She turned to look at Thranduil, who immediately rose to his feet and went over to take the call. Holding her gaze across the floor, he spoke into the phone, and said she wasn’t there, before replacing it.

He returned to her side without a word.

“So are we settled on Amaris and Adira?” Dan asked.

“For now,” Amay replied. “Until we think of something else. Or until the girls get here and they look nothing like Amarises or Adiras, then we have to start all over again.”

“And God bless Google,” Ray quipped, making everybody laugh.

“I’ll second that,” she agreed, pushing herself off the edge of the table she had been sitting on. “Ok guys, I’m going to head off for a sleep before tonight’s shift. Call us if you need us before then.”

“Will do,” Stevie chirped. “But we won’t.”

*****

Thranduil jerked awake.

Beside him, Amay threw back the quilt, leapt out of bed and broke the world speed record as she flew from the room.

He pushed himself into a sitting position, shaking his head to clear it, and followed her. They’d only been asleep less than an hour, having worked the shift and closing up at two o’clock as usual. Wandering along the hall, he found her in the main bathroom, throwing up with a vengeance.

Padding silently in his bare feet, he went over beside her and knelt down, gently lifting her hair out of her way. She was on her knees, clutching the sides of the toilet bowl as she retched and choked. He held her hair with one hand and reached over for a face cloth, running it under the cold tap and squeezing excess water from it. Gently wiping her face down, he remained a strong, silent presence at her side, waiting until she recovered.

Eventually she collapsed back onto her heels, exhausted and worn out. He pulled her gently to lean against him, where she curled up and rested her head on his stomach.

“I don’t know where the hell that came from,” she said, her voice raspy.

“The joys of having a baby,” he replied, rubbing her back in smooth, gentle strokes. “Or in our case, babies. Why didn’t you use the en-suite? It’s closer.”

“I was trying not to wake you,” she replied.

“Crazy woman,” he muttered. “I have told you, you wake me up for anything.”

She huffed slightly, too tired to argue further. “I’m sorry I woke you,” she said.

His hand moved to smooth her hair. “Stop it,” he chided softly. “Do you feel better?”

She shifted, sitting upright. “A wee bit,” she admitted. “I’m going to go and make a cup of tea.”

“You are going back to bed,” he said firmly as he stood up and helped her to her feet. “I will make it.”

“Thranduil-“

“Sssh,” he said.He turned and rinsed the face cloth, handing it back to her.

She wiped her face and brushed her teeth, allowing him to take her back to bed. Once he settled her, he went downstairs and made two cups of tea.

“I assume coffee wouldn’t do your stomach any favours?” he asked, nudging the bedroom door closed with his hip.

“Ew, no,” she said. “As much as I live on it, I couldn’t handle it right now.”

“Do you need anything to eat?”

“No thanks, babe,” she said with a shake of her head. “Tea is fine.”

He settled next to her, turning the tv on with the remote control and turning the volume down as he flicked through the channels. “Amaris and Adira,” he murmered, almost to himself. He turned and smiled at her. “I like that.”

She returned his smile. “It’s definitely different,” she agreed. “I like unusual things. Maybe that’s what caught my eye with you.”

He looked at her quizzically.

“Your hair,” she explained. “I’ve never seen hair like it on a guy before, it’s fucking amazing. I would _love_ hair like yours.”

“There’s nothing wrong with yours,” he told her. “It’s gorgeous.”

“I live with my GHDs,” she said dryly, sipping her tea. “You’re blessed with naturally straight, silky-soft hair that women would murder for.”

He chuckled. “It’s only hair, sweetheart. It grows, it snaps off, it re-grows.”

She trailed her hand through the ends of his hair over the shoulder closest to her. “The fuel for a thousand fantasies,” she murmered, making him laugh. “Tell me something…will you still love me when I’m fat and horrible and can’t walk, when I’m grouchy and cranky?”

Ice blue eyes swept in her direction. “Of course I will,” he said. “What on earth brought that on?”

“I know I’m going to be half the size of Everest by the time the babies are born,” she said. “I already feel frumpy and unattractive, and we’re only just touching the halfway mark.”

He put his cup down and turned fully to her, leaning against the pillows as he gazed up at her. “You are glowing, my darling,” he told her. “Motherhood is an amazing stage of life, and you will look gorgeous as you get bigger with our babies. No matter how big you get, I’ll still find you attractive.”

“No you won’t,” she said quietly. “You probably won’t be able to get near me.”

He frowned. “Why do you think sex is an issue?” he asked. “There are still ways, different positions. And if you don’t want to, then that’s fine. It isn’t the problem you’re creating in your mind.”

She said nothing, only lifted her eyebrows briefly in acknowledgement of what he’d said.

“How can you lecture me about holding on to the past if you yourself cannot let it go?” he said softly. “One rule for all, my love.”

“This is different,” she insisted.

“No it’s not,” he said with a laugh. “You cannot change the rules to please yourself.” He rolled over onto his back. “You think too much.”

“You have one hell of a high sex drive,” she pointed out.

“Yes, since I met you, I do,” he agreed. “And I can also control it. So stop worrying and creating problems that aren’t even viable. Your comfort and well-being are top priority for the time being – they always are, come to think of it – so forget about nonsense like what you are fabricating in your mind.”

“I just worry that-“

He lifted one hand and slid it around the back of her neck, tugging her down to him and silencing her with his mouth. She murmered into him as he coaxed her lips apart, probing gently with his tongue. He sucked on her lower lip, grazing his teeth against the plump flesh, and slowly released her.

“Do not worry,” he told her, his eyes serious even through the arousal that had flared to life in the depths. “I can promise you, you will be one _hot_ mama.”

She tipped her head back and laughed heartily. “I’ll remind you of those words the bigger and fatter I get,” she told him. “When I waddle like a duck and can’t pick anything off the floor.”

He shrugged, a sexy grin making her curl her toes. “I will pick anything up from the floor that you require,” he replied.

“Will you tie my sneakers for me? Put my socks on?” she joked.

“Of course.”

She shook her head in amusement as she put her cup onto the unit beside her, turning back to him. “I’m tired,” she said. “Hold me?”

“Forever,” he promised, pressing a kiss to her mouth as she snuggled down and settled against his chest, both his arms wrapped around her. “Forever and ever.”


	42. Planning Ahead

** CHAPTER FORTY TWO **

****

“Oh my God, look at you!” Legolas yelled, dumping his case on the floor and hurrying across the room.

“Leggy!” Amay shouted, holding her arms up. “Gimme a hug!”

“Don’t get up, I’ll come down to you,” he laughed, dropping to his knees before her and wrapping his arms around her. “Bloody hell, you’re positively glowing!”

“Yeah, radioactive green,” she said. “Morning sickness my arse. It’s morning, noon, night, and every other damned time in between.”

“What on earth are you doing now, you crazy woman?” Thranduil asked with a frown, coming into the room.

She was sitting on the floor with what looked like wreckage surrounding her. “I wanted to build the cribs,” she explained, turning innocent eyes to him. “Only I didn’t think I had all the right parts, so I opened the other one, and now they’re kind of mixed up and I don’t know what’s what…”

He lifted one eyebrow at her, while Legolas roared with laughter.

“I think maybe this is best left to me and dad,” he told her. “Building flat-packs is difficult at the best of times, and you’re not in the best condition to be crawling around the floor.”

“Indeed she is not,” Thranduil noted, easing his son aside and taking one of her hands in his. His free arm went around her back and in one deft movement, he had her on her feet. “I cannot leave you alone for two seconds, you mischievous monkey.”

“Hippo, more like,” she corrected, rubbing her back. “I swear I’ve expanded to double the size in a week. How was the flight?” she asked Legolas.

“I forgot how much I hate flying,” he replied, rising from the floor. “It’s so boring, and the movie was ridiculous. The food was nonsense, and the wait to get through customs was unmentionable.”

“That’s the part that drives me nuts,” she said. “They’re so slow it’s like going backwards. Flying’s not my favourite pass-time either, I suppose I can take it or leave it.”

Thranduil smirked, subtly lifting one eyebrow in her direction, and she went beetroot red.

“Are you hungry?” she asked, whipping back to his offspring.

“No, not really,” he replied. “I could do with a coffee though; just show me where everything is.”

“I’ll make this one for you,” she said with a grin. “Come on, I’ll get it and then show you round the house.”

“That sounds like a plan,” he said, linking his arm through hers as they left the room. “Show me the way, m’lady.”

Thranduil followed, scanning the instructions for the assembly of the cribs. “I do wish you would leave things like this for when I’m here,” he muttered.

“Huh?” she said over her shoulder, turning part-way down the stairs.

“Dammit Amethyst, do not turn on the stairs,” he said in alarm. “You could slip. Keep facing the way you are going. Legolas, look after her.”

She grunted in exasperation, and her companion laughed heartily.

“You know he’s only going to get worse as you progress,” he told her.

“I can hear you, Junior,” Thranduil said behind them.

“I’m well aware,” he replied. “I’m not saying any untruths. Honestly Amay, he’ll probably try to wrap you up in bubble-wrap or cotton wool. Probably both.”

“Thanks for the warning,” she grinned. “I’ll be sure to hide all the protective packaging that comes within reach.”

“I have a longer reach than you do, my love,” Thranduil told her, kissing her cheek as he passed her at the bottom of the stairs.

The day passed in a blur, with Amay insisting on taking Legolas to see Indigo’s, as both her and Thranduil had decided they were taking the night off and they wouldn’t get the chance to go in later. The older of the two males had made his son swear to protect her with his life, and he remained at the house building the cribs that she had mixed up.

They spent the evening eating and catching up, and as an unspoken promise between Amay and Thranduil, neither of them mentioned their separation and the damage he had done to their house in his heartbreak and grief. They talked well into the night, with Amay finally calling it quits and going to bed shortly before two o’clock.

*****

Amay murmered in her sleep, shifting restlessly. She sighed softly, slowly waking up and becoming aware of the dense darkness around her.

And the very prominent hardness pressing against her buttocks.

Behind her, Thranduil breathed quietly, his warm body pressed tightly to her back, his arm around her stomach.

“Baby…are you awake?” she whispered.

No reply.

She shifted her hips slightly, and felt him flex in response, and she smiled. “I thought you were sleeping.”

“Not yet,” he murmered.

She wriggled again, and he took a sharp intake of breath. “Need some help with that?”

“You are tired, sweetheart. Go to sleep,” he replied, burying his face in her hair.

“That’s a waste,” she whispered, reaching behind her and grasping him. His hips jerked into her hand as her fingers closed around him, thrusting forwards in a gentle rhythm.

“Aaaah…that feels good,” he hissed, a tremor rippling through his body. “So damned good…”

“You won’t sleep unless you do something with this,” she whispered, aware that Legolas was asleep in the room across from theirs. She lifted her left leg, angling her knee over his hip.

His erection nudged at her entrance, finding it warm and wet. “Oh baby, I need you,” he gasped, pushing just the tip inside her.

She moaned softly, rocking back against him. “I don’t think we’ve done it this way before,” she said.

His warm hand slid under her knee and lifted it slightly higher, opening her up to him, and he pushed in further.

“Oh yes,” she gasped. “Oh yes…more. More.”

Soft gasps and moans surrounded them as they moved together, the flames of lust quickly blazing to an inferno in the darkness. Thranduil bent his right arm at the elbow, bringing her back tighter to his chest, his hand sliding down and caressing her breast as he thrust into her. She moaned louder, arching into his touch and trying to pull him deeper inside. Soft, wet kisses moved along her shoulder, his warm mouth sending her higher. She leaned her head back, giving him room to kiss the side of her neck, each thrust punctuated with a soft brush of his lips over her skin.

“I need to come, baby,” he whispered erotically, his pace gathering momentum. “Oh God I need to come inside you now…”

He let go of her knee and slid his hand over her hip, down between her legs, and slowly rubbed her clitoris, causing her to cry out in pleasure.

“Harder babe,” she panted. “Mmm, like that…yes…”

His movements continued to increase in speed and depth, her body twisting and writhing back against him in pleasure. He removed his other hand from her breast, lifting it up across her chest to her shoulder, and she gripped his arm, biting hard.

“Thranduil, I’m coming,” she whimpered. Her body began to tense and tremble. “I’m coming baby, fuck me harder…fuck me..!”

He obliged, sliding in and out of her effortlessly as she rocked against him.

“Oh my God, more!” she cried.

He gathered speed, continuing to caress her clit. She shrieked as she fell apart, sinking her teeth into the inside of his arm to try to keep quiet as her climax rippled through her from head to toe. He thrust harder into her, her rapid clenching pushing him faster to his own pleasure, and he erupted in her with a deep grunt as he reached it.

She leaned her head back against his shoulder, gasping for air as her heart frantically tried to regulate itself, and he rested his cheek against her hair.

“That was amazing, my darling,” he whispered raggedly. “We both needed that.”

She chuckled softly in the dark, slowly caressing her hand over his arm. “Sorry if I bit you too hard,” she whispered in reply. “I couldn’t help it.”

His quiet laughter vibrated through his chest and into her back. “I do not mind in the slightest,” he told her, his tone low. “That was worth any pain you might have inflicted.”

“I hope we didn’t wake Legolas,” she said.

“I seriously doubt he’s a virgin anyway,” he muttered. “Believe me – he knows what fucking sounds like.”

She laughed. “Oh my God, you’re terrible,” she gasped. “He’s your _son!”_

“And he has the same testosterone that every other male has at that age,” he replied. “And besides, it’s pretty obvious that we are past the holding-hands stage.” His large hand gently caressed her swelling abdomen.

“Wow…did you feel that?” she whispered.

“Feel what?”

She gripped his hand, moving it over a little. “That.”

He inhaled deeply, sliding down the bed a little and pressing a kiss to her cheek. “I did, my darling. I felt them.”

She giggled. “You woke the girls,” she said.

He sat up, flipping the quilt back, and slid further down, so his cheek was pressed against her stomach. “You girls should be asleep, so your mum can rest,” he said softly, making her smile as she ran a hand through his hair. “We both love you. Go back to sleep.” He pressed two kisses to her bump, then lifted himself back up to the pillows and pulled the quilt up over them.

“Oh babe…that was so sweet,” she said, caressing his cheek. “I love you so much.”

“And I love you so much more,” he told her. Dropping a tender kiss on her mouth, he smiled and snuggled back behind her. “Try to rest, my love,” he said. “It will be daylight soon.”

She closed her eyes with a contented sigh, the feel of his strong arms around her relaxing her enough to drift off.

*****

Thranduil worked quietly and patiently, brushing through long lengths of Amay’s hair as he straightened it.

“I don’t know how you can stand there and do this,” she said, sipping her coffee. “It takes me over an hour to do it, and drives me nuts.”

“I have patience,” he replied. “Why do you do it if it takes you so long, and you obviously do not have the patience?”

“I hate it curly,” she told him. “My mother used to say it looked like rats’ tails.”

“Charming,” he muttered. “I like it curly, your hair is amazing.”

“I prefer straight for some reason. If I had straight hair, I’d want curly,” she added with a laugh. “Sod’s Law.”

“It looks beautiful both ways,” he commented, settling a lock of poker-straight hair over her shoulder out of the way.

“My mum said I look like Morticia from The Addams’ Family when it’s straight,” she murmered into her cup.

He sighed. “The more I hear about that woman, the less I like the thought of her,” he said. Capable hands continued working.

“I feel huge this morning,” she said, changing the subject. “I think I’ve grown again overnight. The babies seem to take a growth spurt when I’m sleeping.”

He laughed softly. “Although I doubt you’ve grown overnight, you still look beautiful to me, my love.”

She snorted. “Easy for you to say.”

His hands stilled. “What does that mean?”

She opened her mouth, but was lost for words.

“Amethyst?” he prompted.

She grunted.

“You really need to work on being less self-conscious,” he muttered, resuming his task.

“Anybody would be, being in bed with you,” she said quietly.

He stopped again and moved to stand before her, lowering himself down onto his haunches.

“You’re perfect in every way,” she pointed out. “Physically and morally.”

“No, I’m not,” he told her. “Do not put me up on that pedestal, my darling. I do not belong up there.”

“Yes you do. It’s my pedestal and it’s up to me who I put up there. So get used to heights. Although you already are, being like eighteen feet tall and everything.” She grinned impishly as he lowered his head, his shoulders shaking in silent laughter.

“The woman who gave birth to you has a whole lot to answer for,” he decided, looking back up at her again. “I’m serious.” He pulled the sleeve of his hooded top up, revealing the bruise where she’d bitten his arm during the night. “If I didn’t find you devastatingly attractive and sexy and gorgeous, how did you manage to turn me on enough to turn you on to the point where you did this?”

“What?” she asked in confusion.

He laughed, covering the bite and standing up again. “When you unravel that, you can argue it with me,” he said, going back to her hair.

“You’re mad,” she decided.

“Morning, all,” Legolas greeted them, making his way into the kitchen and heading straight for the coffee.

“Morning,” she grinned. “Kettle should still be warm, shouldn’t take long to boil again.”

“Morning, son,” Thranduil said, lifting his eyes briefly from his task. “Did you sleep well?”

“Reasonably well,” he replied as he took a fresh cup from the unit. “You?”

Amay caught the subtle smirk as he glanced at her, and turned pink.

“Eventually,” his father said, not batting an eyelid. “And stop embarrassing Amethyst.”

“Sorry,” Legolas laughed.

“Pair of shit-heads,” she muttered.

“Do not blame the son for the sins of the father,” the younger male jested as he poured hot water into the cup.

“It was not a sin, my son,” Thranduil replied smoothly. “It was heavenly.”

Amay choked on her coffee. “Jesus Christ,” she spat. “Enough, both of you!”

Legolas laughed heartily. “Don’t be embarrassed, Amay, it’s perfectly natural.”

“It isn’t when people comment on it,” she shot back. “Bloody hell, it’s like being at work in here sometimes.”

“Is Vicky working tonight?” he queried, leaning on the worktop.

She turned her head, and Thranduil moved swiftly to keep up with her. “Why?” she asked, narrowing her eyes.

He shrugged. “Just asking.”

“My offspring wants to create a few sins of his own, by the sounds of things,” Thranduil said. Ice blue eyes flicked over to his son. “Am I wrong?”

He shrugged.

“She is working tonight,” Amay told him with a smirk of her own. “And from what I know, she’s not with anybody at the moment.”

“Hmm,” he murmered, deep in thought. “Dad, did you say there was a good store for clothing not too far from here?”

“Yes, I did,” he said. “I will drop you off shortly if you want. Just let me finish Amethyst’s hair and have a quick coffee. Or while you are standing there holding up the kitchen units, you could always make me one.”

Legolas grinned, and set about preparing the beverage.

“The girls are dancing,” Amay said as she yawned. “They’re awake early.”

Thranduil grinned. “They are becoming more active, aren’t they?” he said. “I expect by the time your date is close, they’ll be moving around the clock.”

“Probably,” she agreed. “One will go to sleep, and the other will take over. Oh Leggy, did your dad tell you we’ve sort of did the first pick of names for them?”

“No, what did you pick?” he asked over his shoulder.

“Amaris and Adira,” she replied. “For now. Who knows, it might change as we get closer.”

“Different,” he observed. “I like those names.”

“There we go, my darling,” Thranduil said finally, setting down the straighteners and smoothing his hands over her hair. “All done.”

“Thankyou, babe,” she said, smiling at him as she stood up and pressed a kiss to his mouth.

“You’re welcome,” he told her, his eyes sparkling. She only had to look at him and he could feel himself hardening for her. Taking a deep breath, he turned and took his coffee from Legolas, who smirked knowingly at him as he handed it over.

“So what kind of clothes should I get if I’m going clubbing?” he asked.

“Anything goes,” Amay replied straight away. “And by that, I mean absolutely anything. Wait until you see some of the stuff people wear – it’s hilarious.”

“What do you wear?”

“Black trousers and a black vest top with _staff_ on it,” she replied. “You’ll see it tonight, I’m on shift.”

“Cool,” he said. “You too, dad?”

“Of course,” his father replied. “I am not going to stay at home while Amethyst goes to work, am I? I’ll be there to work with her, and take care of her. Which reminds me, my love – I had a thought in the early hours of this morning.”

“Care to share?” she asked.

“I was wondering if you would like to bring our wedding forwards,” he said.

She gazed up at him. “To when?”

“Well, I was thinking that maybe we get married before the girls arrive,” he said, taking her hand in his and frowning as he studied it. His eyes lifted to hers. “And we could perhaps do it while Legolas is here.”

Her eyes opened wide. “This week?” she squealed.

“Yay!” Legolas yelled. “Now I definitely need new gear.”

“She hasn’t agreed yet,” Thranduil said over his shoulder. He turned back to her. “What do you think?”

“Can we pull it off that quickly?” she asked, stunned.

He shrugged. “I think so.”

She stood up on her toes, giving him a tender kiss. “Then let’s do it,” she answered with a smile. “Make an honest woman out of me. Make me your wife.”

He grinned, sliding both arms around her.  “With pleasure,” he murmered, lowering his mouth to hers. 


	43. The Run-Up To The Wedding

** CHAPTER FORTY THREE **

****

Ray was frantic.

Amay trudged along at his side, neither here nor there. The world floated past her, and she didn’t stress at all. Her companion however, was having kittens, and on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

“You’re getting too wound up for your own good,” she commented as they left one store and headed towards another. “Look at you. You’re sweating like it’s a million degrees.”

He gasped theatrically. “Amethyst!” he scolded, stopping and planting his hands on his hips, diva-style. “This is not just some freakin’ party-wear we’re looking for woman, this is your wedding gown! Not any old tat will do, it has to be perfect!”

“And it will be,” she said calmly, tugging his sleeve to keep him moving. “Have faith.”

“Faith? We’ll need a miracle,” he grunted. “I have to say, everything I’ve seen so far is complete…urghhh…I can’t find the right word.”

“Shit?” she suggested. “I know.” She linked her arm through his as they crossed the tiled floor of the massive indoor mall. “Although Thranduil keeps saying just wear something I’m comfortable in. He’s not pushing for the whole white-ballgown-type of thing.”

“And what does the almost-Mrs-Thranduil want?” he asked pointedly.

She smiled. “To become his wife,” she replied. “But if I can find something magical to wear on the day, then that’ll be great. If not, I’m marrying him either way.”

He nodded, falling silent for a few moments. “Peach…I wanna say something,” he said finally.

They halted, and she looked at him.

“I’m so glad you guys found each other,” he told her. “I know you’ve had your ups and downs, and you’ve been through a lot with each other, but you guys are made to be together. Seriously. I’m kind of jealous in a way – a good way – you go so well as a couple. I love ya, Peach.”

She smiled. “I love ya too, Ray-Ban,” she told him, kissing his cheek. “And thankyou. I know I don’t need anyone’s blessing, but yours does mean a lot. You’ve been my best friend for years, and it’s important to me. I know you and Thranduil don’t always see eye to eye, but he’s my life, Ray. I love him with everything that I am, and even though it scares the crap outta me, I wouldn’t change a thing. He’s everything to me.”

He nodded, inhaling deeply as they resumed walking. “I know. I can see it in your eyes,” he said. “The second you see him or hear him, your eyes change. It’s amazing to watch; you probably aren’t even aware of it. It’s like the other half of a whole coming together.”

“That’s what it feels like when we are together,” she said. “Two pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. Two sides of a coin. I don’t know, there are a million ways to describe it. All I know is that I feel complete when he’s around. And I miss him so much when he isn’t.”

“Call him,” Ray said, and she glanced at him. “Right now. Call him. I can hear it in your voice.”

She laughed, digging her phone out of her pocket. “You know me too well,” she muttered, tapping the screen.

“Hold the bus, Peach,” he said, elbowing her. “No need to call him.”

She looked up and her heart missed a beat or three as she spotted Thranduil walking towards them, tall and imposing as he strode between the shoppers milling around the shopping centre. A huge smile lit up her face, and butterflies leapt to life in her stomach.

He tossed his hair over his shoulder as he stopped and pointed to a particular store, and only then did she become aware of Legolas at his side. The younger of the two said something to his father, then went over to peer into a store window. Thranduil put his hands in his pockets and waited patiently. His son said something over his shoulder, before disappearing into the store, and Thranduil shrugged and turned away, finally catching sight of her.

He broke into a huge grin, and headed towards her.

Ray discreetly went off to one side and became engrossed in a window display.

“Hi babe,” she said, her heart fluttering at his presence.

“I didn’t think you would be in this mall, sweetheart,” he said as he approached her, stopping before her and leaning down for a kiss.

She hummed in pleasure and slid her hands up his chest, bringing them to rest on his shoulders as he put his arms around her waist. Oblivious to where they were or those around them, the kiss deepened and a tender bubble enveloped them.

“I missed you,” she murmered, pulling back a little and gazing into his eyes.

“I missed you too,” he replied. “I thought you guys were going over to the mall over on Bayview?”

She wrinkled her nose. “We’ve been there,” she told him.

“Nothing you liked?”

“No. I can’t find anything here either,” she said. “But the day is not over yet, I’m sure I’ll walk Ray’s feet off him and find something eventually.”

He tucked her hair behind her ear. “You know you could wear a garbage bag and still turn me on faster than the speed of light,” he told her softly.

“I want something special though,” she answered. “I only plan on doing this once, so it has to be right. Does that make sense?”

He nodded as he trailed the pad of his thumb down her cheek. “It does. It goes without saying however, you could get married in your pyjamas, and I would not care. As long as you marry me, that’s all I care about.”

She returned his smile. “I intend to marry you, and the sooner the better,” she told him. “I can’t wait.”

“Where’s Ray?” he asked suddenly, frowning as he glanced around.

“He disappeared somewhere when you came over,” she said. “I think maybe we make him a little uncomfortable sometimes.” A soft laugh accompanied her words. “He’s lonely.”

“I know,” he said. “He will meet his someone special one day. Ah…talk of the devil…”

“Uh actually, I do not have horns,” Ray quipped as he headed towards them. “But I do have a tail.”

“Ha!” Amay snorted. “So does a dog. Speaking of dogs, I’m hungry.”

“You want to eat a dog?” Ray demanded.

“No, you muppet. I was thinking of hot dogs,” she retorted.

Thranduil’s gaze swept the crowded shopping mall. “How about we all go for something to eat?” he suggested. “Afterwards we can go back to doing our own thing. Don’t worry sweetheart, I shall not cramp your style.” He grinned down at her, reluctant to release his hold on her hand.

She frowned. “I have no problems shopping with you,” she said. “You just can’t see the dress I choose – it’s s’posed to be bad luck.”

He rolled his eyes. “You make your own luck,” he said. “But nevertheless, I shall abide by your wishes, and will not see the dress you pick before the big day, if that makes you happy.”

“So what does Princess Peach want to eat, apart from dogs?” Ray asked, making her laugh.

“I have a notion for mac cheese and fries,” she decided.

Thranduil nodded. “I’ll go and drag Legolas from his spending spree, and meet you in the restaurant at the bottom of the mall?” he suggested.

“Ok,” she agreed. “I just want to jump into one more store, then we’ll be right there.” Standing on her toes, she stole a quick kiss, before grudgingly letting him go and following her shopping partner into the store she wanted to visit.

Thranduil watched her go, taking a deep breath as she disappeared into the store and out of his line of vision. The love he felt swelled inside him, and he smiled to himself as he turned to see his son heading his way.

Half an hour later, they were seated comfortably in the restaurant, with Amay tucking into her mac cheese, Thranduil had a steak, and Ray and Legolas had opted for burgers.

“I still think that last dress you looked at should be made illegal,” Ray said, pointing his fork menacingly.

She giggled, spearing several fries on her fork. “I’m not sure if someone should wear it, or eat the thing as a pudding,” she replied. “It looked like a fucking meringue instead of something you would get married in.”

Thranduil smirked as he cut into his steak. “There are thousands and thousands of designs out there,” he reasoned. “There will be one somewhere that suits your taste.” He stabbed the meat he’d cut free and held it over to her.

She leaned towards him and ate it from his fork, murmering in delight. “I’ll know the right one when I see it,” she said. “I don’t want something too revealing, and I don’t want anything that came from caveman days either. No sleeves. Must reach my feet. And be white.”

Ray grunted as he chewed his burger. “You’re not asking for a lot,” he remarked.

Legolas grinned. “I don’t know why you didn’t design your own,” he said. “That way you would get exactly what you want.”

She shook her head adamantly as she reached for her coffee. “Uh-uh. Bad luck.”

Thranduil rolled his eyes. “That’s a load of nonsense,” he told her. “There are far too many superstitions concerning weddings and marriage.”

“Oh yeah – no spending the night together the night before,” Ray stated.

“Fuck you,” she snorted. “Watch me!”

Legolas started to laugh and went into a choking fit, and his father belted him between his shoulder blades.

“You can’t, Peach!” Ray gasped in horror. “You’re not supposed to see him before the wedding either. Or is it he can’t see you..?”

“Bollocks to all of it,” she retorted. “I’m not sleeping away from him. I’ll forego that tradition, if you don’t mind.”

“I agree,” Thranduil said. “I myself do not like the idea of being apart. It’s an ancient, out-dated, unrealistic expectation.”

“And it’s not happening in our house,” she laughed. “Try this, babe.” She held a forkful of mac cheese across the table, her gaze on his mouth as he took it from her. Shaking her head to clear it of indecent thoughts, she frowned and went back to eating.

“Stop that,” Ray warned her, catching her eye.

“Shut your face,” she muttered. “Have you picked what you’re wearing?”

“Of course!” he replied, as though she had asked him if he was human. “I had that sorted before you got off the phone, goddammit. What do you take me for?!”

She laughed, winking at Thranduil as he caught her eye and grinned at her. “How did I somehow know that,” she mused rhetorically. “I think I’d have called for a paramedic if you’d said otherwise.”

“Cheeky bitch,” Ray muttered humorously, stuffing his face. “I’m going to be the best-dressed bloke there.”

“In your wildest dreams,” she said. “I have a notion that’ll be the groom, not you, you head-case.”

Thranduil and Legolas laughed, amused at the banter between the two. Eventually, their lunch was over and they went their separate ways, after a few drawn-out kisses between the two due to be married.

A few hours later, Thranduil held his phone away from his ear as Amay screeched hysterically down the line. Shaking his head to his son, he attempted to talk over her excited babble enough to calm her down to the point where he could understand what she was saying.

After several failed attempts, she roared and yelled and Ray came on the line.

“Sorry about that, boss,” he apologised. “What your wife-to-be is trying to tell you and failing, is that she has found her wedding gown.”

“Good, I’m glad,” he laughed, hearing her giving Ray abuse in the background for commandeering the phone. “All is well then, I presume?”

“In a matter of speaking,” he replied drolly. “Now the task I have is to try and get her and her gown back to yours and keep myself in one piece. Mission impossible, but I’ll give it my best shot.”

“I’m sure you’ll be just fine,” Thranduil assured him, still chuckling at the language she was using away from the phone. “Put her back on.”

Muffled speech filtered down the line and she came back to him.

“Oh my God, what a prick, taking the phone from me,” she said. “Babe, wait until you see the dress I picked, it’s gorgeous!”

“I know it will be, my love, and you will look amazing in it,” he told her. “Are you heading home now then?”

“Yes,” she said, her irritation melting away and the sound of contentment creeping into her voice. “I’m really tired, but we’ve found what I wanted, so yes.”

He smiled. “Ok my love. I won’t be too long behind you,” he told her. “Legolas has run me ragged today, I am in need of a rest myself. Take care on the way home, and I’ll see you there. I love you.”

“I love you too babe,” she replied, cutting the connection.

Thranduil grinned as he pocketed his phone, turning to locate his son and drag him home.

*****

The wedding was set for Saturday.

The day before, a team of interior-designers/planners descended on the house, shooing Amay and Thranduil out of the way so they could set about organising everything.

“Why didn’t you let me decorate everything?” she asked, as they walked hand in hand through the trees on the property. “I could’ve done it just as well as that lot.”

“I do not doubt you could,” he told her, turning a smile in her direction. “But this is our wedding, sweetheart. You have one major task, and that is to marry me. Nothing else.”

She laughed. “I don’t think you’re going to get out of it at this stage,” she chuckled. “What I mean is, they’ll probably charge you a ridiculous amount then add a shedload of tax on top of that.”

“Worry not,” he said calmly. “It has been taken care of.”

She rolled her eyes and tutted in disgust.

“So…I was on the internet early this morning,” he said.

“Uh…congratulations..?” she quipped.

He drew her a sideways look. “You did not use my credit card when you went shopping for your dress,” he said.

“I know,” she answered. “I wasn’t planning to, either.”

“But that is what I gave you it for,” he said, frowning.

She stopped, turning him to her with a tug of his hand. “You are _not_ paying for my dress,” she informed him. “I found one I could afford, I liked it, so I bought it. End of story.”

“This is something we are going to sort out right here, and right now,” he said. “My money is your money. You spend what you want, you buy what you want. You do not ask my permission, you do not explain yourself. Is that clear?”

“Ya-huh,” she said, turning to resume walking.

This time, he stopped her with a tug of her hand. “Amethyst, I am deadly serious,” he told her in a no-nonsense tone. “Stop thinking about money all the time. There is more than we could ever spend in a lifetime, so get used to it. I shall be adding your name to the accounts after we are married, and you will have your own credit cards linked to the accounts. Stop penny-pinching.”

“I’m not,” she defended herself. “I just spend according to my budget. I’ve already told you this.”

“You do not _have_ a budget anymore, my love,” he said. “Do you understand?”

Deep blue eyes held his. “I am not getting into this the day before our wedding,” she decided. “Let’s get married first, then we can iron all the wee details out afterwards.”

“Just so you know, I am not open to changing my mind,” he informed her as they started walking again. “I have made my decision.”

“Yes, my Lord and Master,” she said in an exaggerated tone. “I shall bow down to your every command, my King.”

Ice blue eyes glared at her, but his laughter shone through. “In that case, I will hold you to it, my little wench,” he said.

“This time tomorrow, I’ll be a Mrs wench,” she replied.

“And I cannot wait.”


	44. The Wedding

** CHAPTER FORTY FOUR **

****

Saturday, the day of the wedding.

Thranduil had slept well through the night, whereas Amay had tossed and turned restlessly. The babies seemed to pick up on her nervous state, as they spent most of the night dancing and kick-boxing their way around her womb, adding to her inability to fall into a deep sleep.

By the time they surfaced, the sun was blazing and the temperature already creeping up.

Ray was already dashing around flapping like a chicken by the time she made her way downstairs.

“Good grief, calm yourself,” she yawned, heading straight for the coffee.

He stopped in the middle of the floor, hands on his hips. “Look at the mess of you!” he gasped. “Amay, you’re getting married in less than three hours!”

“And?” she demanded. “It won’t take me three goddamned hours to get showered, get my make-up on and get into my dress.”

“Has nobody except me got any sense of urgency around here?” he demanded, as Thranduil descended the stairs behind her.

“Who said you had any sense at all?” she shot back. “Gimme the sugar.”

Thranduil grinned, going over and tugging her towards him. “How are you this morning, sweetheart?” he murmered, lowering his mouth to hers.

She purred in delight. “Tired, but alright,” she replied. “You?”

He shrugged. “Looking forward to today,” he replied as he reached over her shoulder for the jar of coffee.

“This is insane,” Ray spat in the background. “Everybody’s so goddamned relaxed around here it’s not even funny.”

“Chill out, you nutjob,” Amay said, turning to him. “There’s no point in getting all wound up. I’m nervous enough as it is – you’re making me worse.”

Thranduil frowned as he glanced at her. “What are you nervous about?” he asked. “Are you having doubts?”

“Not at all,” she answered immediately. “I’m just having a case of butterflies, that’s all. I’ll be fine nearer the time.” She flashed a grin at him, taking the cup he handed her.

“Right. Bring that coffee with you, madam. You are going for a shower,” Ray demanded. “And you, mister-” he pointed at Thranduil. “-can stay away from her until you are in the process of marrying her.”

He chuckled at his employee’s bossiness, shrugging and giving in to him.

Amay threw him a pleading look as her friend hauled her off towards the stairs, coffee and all, mouthing _help me._

“I love you,” he called after her, rather than going to her aid.

“I love you too,” she yelled back from halfway up the stairs.

*****

“I think I’m going to cry, Peach,” Ray said.

Amay glanced at him in the mirror as he stood behind her. His large green eyes did indeed look watery.

“Don’t cry, Ray-Ban,” she said softly, turning to him. “I’m happy. This is what I want.”

He nodded. “I know. You just look so gorgeous. You scrub up well when you put your mind to it.”

She laughed, punching his shoulder. “You look not bad yourself,” she replied.

He stood before her in a light blue suit, white shirt, and a darker blue tie. A pink carnation adorned his lapel. “I’ll do,” he laughed. “Are you ready?”

She nodded, taking the arm he offered. “I am.”

They left the bedroom and slowly descended the wide staircase, crossing the hallway and out of the main doorway. The sun hit them the instant they stepped outside, bathing them in a pleasant warmth. Ray turned direction and steered her over towards the grass and the trees.

Standing below a massive oak tree, Thranduil’s heart stopped as he caught sight of them making their way towards him.

Amay wore a white gown, the bodice made of white satin with a halter-neck top. The dress nipped in at her waist, flowing out as it cascaded down to her feet. The lower section of the dress had a whisper-fine netting, with small purple butterflies all around the bottom six inches or so. She carried a bouquet of purple and white roses, which trailed down before her. Her hair had been intricately braided at the top, with the lower sections loose around her shoulders in gentle waves. Tiny purple and white flowers were woven into each braid.

His heart hammered as he dragged in a deep breath, stunned at the beauty who was at this point only feet away from him, who was about to become his wife.

Smiling up at him, she stopped next to him as Ray silently handed her over to him, and she saw him visibly swallow.

“You look beautiful, my love,” he whispered, and she was sure she caught a glimpse of tears in his eyes.

The minister who had stood patiently waiting coughed and began to speak, going through the expected speech before the actual vows were taken. Amay felt relaxed and at peace, and the babies she carried gave an occasional kick or two as if to remind her they were part of this too. She tightened her fingers around Thranduil’s, beaming as he glanced at her with his heart-stopping smile.

After saying their vows and exchanging wedding rings, Thranduil took both her hands in his, and chewed the side of his mouth for a few seconds.

Everybody assembled waited in silence.

“I cannot explain what I felt when I first met you, Amethyst,” he said, his deep velvet voice caressing her as softly as the warm breeze that fluttered the ends of his hair. “I did not expect to find you when I first came here, I did not expect you to have had such a profound effect on me. I certainly did not expect to fall as deeply in love with you as I did, or that you would love me in return. Nothing in the world could have prepared me for that.” He paused, gazing deep into her eyes. “I am nowhere near perfect, especially not in the presence of such beauty. But I promise with all my heart and soul, with everything that I believe in – I will spend forever at your side, forever trying to make you happy, and forever loving you. You are my whole world, my being, my existence. You are precious to me beyond measure, and you always will be.”

A few _ahh_ ’s drifted from the group who were gathered.

Amay smiled, taking a deep breath. “I too cannot explain what happened when I met you, how deeply I fell in love with you, how connected I felt to you. You became the centre of my world, you became the reason my heart beats. You have shown me so much love, so much devotion, so much commitment. I too will spend forever at your side, doing whatever it takes to make you happy, and showing you how much you mean to me. You are the air that I breathe Thranduil, I love you so much.”

“I love you so much more,” he said, a catch in his voice.

The minister discreetly stepped back, and Thranduil lowered his mouth to hers in the softest kiss. His hands held her waist and she slid her arms around his shoulders, returning his kiss with all the love she felt in her heart.

Reluctantly breaking the contact, he swallowed and smiled, lifting a hand to touch her cheek, and she smiled as she gazed up into his eyes.

The guests went crazy.

Thunderous applause and wild cheers filled the air, hoots and yells, whistles, and hollering. The couple quickly exchanged another kiss as they turned towards the small crowd, unable to stop smiling.

Legolas, who was Thranduil’s best man, stepped forwards and hugged Amay, kissing her on the cheek. “Thankyou for making him happy,” he told her, and stepped back to hug his father.

Bard had flown in during the small hours to attend the wedding, which had been a lovely surprise for Amay. Thranduil had arranged to bring him over without telling her, knowing she had been a little disappointed that he was supposed to be working on the day. He embraced her in a warm hug, congratulating her and telling her she had her work cut out for her now she officially had Thranduil as her husband. Both had laughed, and he too turned to congratulate his partner and long-time friend.

Ray had indeed started to weep during the speeches, and started blubbering again as he launched himself into Amay’s arms, crying about how gorgeous it was, how amazing the speeches were, and just about everything in the world that made him emotional. Vicky had accompanied Legolas, much to the newlyweds’ amusement, and she was next in line to embrace the couple.

Eventually the group crossed over the grass to the marquee that had been erected in the midst of a colourful floral display. The caterers that Thranduil had brought in had worked wonders, and the choice of food on offer was akin to that of a feast fit for a king. Champagne flowed freely, with Amay choosing soft drinks over the alcohol. Music floated through the air, and she couldn’t have been happier.

“You look absolutely beautiful, Mrs Oropherion,” Thranduil whispered in her ear as they danced.

She smiled. “Thankyou, Mrs Oropherion's husband,” she replied. “I have to say you look absolutely stunning too.”

He had chosen a light grey suit, a colour he seemed to wear very well, with a crisp white shirt and a darker grey tie. A red carnation rested against the lapel of his jacket, the breeze occasionally twisting the ends of his hair around the bloom.

He gazed down at her, with so much love in his light blue eyes, unable to look at anything else around him. “I love you, my angel,” he said softly.

“I love you too,” she said, lifting her mouth for his kiss.

Around them, Legolas danced with Vicky, and other guests who were in attendance swirled past. Amay had opted for a small wedding, with no more than twenty close friends, not wanting anything overbearing on their big day. The tight-knit group had made her feel at ease and relaxed, and Thranduil had been more than happy to go along with that. His reasoning was that no matter if they had twenty guests or two hundred, what mattered most was the bond between them, the love they had for each other, and the desire to be married to each other.

“Well done lady, well done,” Sophie congratulated her, later on in the afternoon. “My God, this is a day I never thought I would live to see. I’m so happy for you, Amay.”

Amay grinned, holding her friend in a close hug. “Thanks, Soph,” she whispered. “Thranduil means so much to me, I still can’t believe it myself!”

“Aw girl, you deserve to be happy,” Sophie replied, tightening her hug before releasing her. “Relax and enjoy him, while the rest of us continue our trawl through the knuckle-draggers and cavemen.”

“Bard’s not so bad,” she laughed, glancing at him across the marquee where he stood talking with Thranduil.

Her friend wrinkled her nose. “The chemistry wasn’t really there,” she said. “Never mind, there’s one for me somewhere. I’m not out of hope yet.”

They continued to talk for a while, before Amay felt herself magnetically drawn back to Thranduil’s side, where she remained comfortable with his arm snugly around her waist as they danced, ate, or chatted with their guests.

*****

Amay sighed in contentment as she finally kicked off her sandals, wiggling her toes on the soft carpet. “Oh that feels sooooo good,” she laughed.

“Why did you not remove your shoes earlier if they were uncomfortable?” Thranduil asked, loosening his tie as he left the en-suite bathroom and crossed towards her.

“Because they gave me an extra two inches in height,” she replied. “I’m not exactly small, but you aren’t either.”

He smiled, halting and placing his hands on her waist. “A difference in height does not have to present a problem,” he observed.

“This is very true,” she murmered, sliding her palms up over his chest and undoing the knot of his tie. “After all, we’re all the same height once we’re lying down, are we not?” She lifted one eyebrow, tugging on the ends of the tie to bring him closer.

“Why don’t we test that theory out?” he whispered, his lips an inch from hers.

“I would love to,” she replied huskily.

Her mouth opened instinctively as his soft flesh met hers in a slow, sensual kiss which immediately sent sparks hurtling through her. She lifted herself up onto her toes, pushing against him, her arms crossing at the back of his neck as the kiss deepened.

“I have been waiting all day for this, my love,” he whispered, feathering little kisses across her cheek and down her neck. “Ever since I woke up this morning, all I have been able to think about is giving you your first orgasm as my wife.”

Her purr of pleasure mixed with a soft laughter as she tipped her head back, tangling her fingers on one hand in his hair and using the other hand to caress his strong shoulders. “You were certainly blessed with charm,” she said.

“And I intend to use that charm to inflict intense pleasure on every part of your delectable body,” he murmered as he kissed along her shoulder. “Every single part.” The back of the bodice of her dress opened under his fingers, which had been busy as he’d kissed her. Sliding the fabric apart, warm hands lightly touched her exposed back, sending a ripple of delight up her spine. His warm mouth moved back to hers, rubbing against it with tenderness. “I am going to make you feel so good baby, so good.”

She murmered against him as the fabric of her dress slid down to her waist and past her hips.

“This is the most beautiful dress I have ever seen,” he whispered. “But right now it needs to be on the floor.” His lips brushed hers as he spoke, his warm breath fanning over her. “I need to feel you naked…on me, under me, around me…I need to look into your eyes as you come apart for me…” His hands roamed over her body as he talked, and she squirmed in response, rubbing herself against the solid erection straining for escape from his trousers.

Pushing her mouth harder against his, she made quick work of the buttons on his shirt, ridding him of the garment as she pushed it down his arms to land in a crumpled heap on the floor behind him. Eager fingers tugged at his belt, sliding the buckle free and unzipping his trousers. He kicked them off and lifted her into his arms, without breaking the kiss, and carried her over to the bed. Laying her gently down, he slid down her body taking her lacy knickers as he went, tossing them over his shoulder.

“Perfect,” he whispered, kissing her growing bump. “Just perfect.” His mouth wandered down over her hip. “Open your legs for me, baby.”

She complied, sighing as she felt his warm breath on her core. His tongue slowly licked around her folds, pausing here and there as his touch turned to soft kisses, before swirling around her clitoris. A whimper of need left her lips as he pushed it inside her, tasting her arousal which flowed readily. He murmered in satisfaction, his fingertips trailing lightly up and down her inner thighs.

Her hands tangled in the bedsheet as he pleasured her, pushing two fingers into her as he swept his tongue back and forth over her clit, drawing groans and pants of need from her. She moved restlessly under his touch, desperate for more, desperate to come, yet at the same time wanting the feeling to last forever.

“Thranduil, I need you baby,” she moaned.

“You have me, my love,” he murmered, enjoying the taste of her as he licked and teased her. “All of me. Forever.” His mouth worked wonders between her legs, taking her higher and higher with each stroke of his tongue, each wet swipe against her throbbing clit that was aching for more. Deep purrs of contented satisfaction rumbled from him as he took his time, savouring every moment. “You taste so fucking good, baby…so fucking good,” he whispered, increasing the pressure as his fingers plunged deeper.

She groaned in response, a long, lusty groan that made his erection twitch in anticipation. Her back arched up as every pleasure zone in her body buzzed with acute awareness.

He gave her a long, slow lick before withdrawing his fingers and kissing his way up her stomach, creating a path of fire as his mouth touched her heated flesh. Lifting himself up over her, his eyes held hers as he nudged against her, his nostrils flaring as he fought for self control.

Nothing was said. No words were needed, the strong connection between them as they gazed into each other’s eyes being more than enough. A soft cry escaped her lips as he slowly pushed inside, mere millimetres at a time. His arms trembled at her sides as he braced his weight on his fists, the need to sink fully in overwhelming his senses, but he clenched his teeth and struggled with the torrent of lust that blasted through him.

Amay flipped her feet up and crossed them over his lower back, his skin hot and damp with sweat. Flexing her thighs, she tried to pull him deeper, but he smirked slightly as he concentrated on his gradual entry into her welcoming body.

“Patience, my darling,” he whispered. “We have all night, every night.”

Gripping fistfuls of his long hair, she hauled his mouth to hers, kissing him with desperation and hunger that demanded feeding and satisfying. His warm mouth opened as he responded, his tongue sweeping inside hers and claiming her as his own. Carefully lowering his upper body, he braced his weight on his elbows, taking care to keep the pressure off her abdomen.

Her hips lifted as he finally sunk in to the hilt, her legs tightening in a vice grip around him as he slowly began to move. Slow, deep thrusts lifted her higher towards completion, her highly aroused body responding in a dance that was as old and as natural as time. Gentle hands caressed her, passionate kisses aroused her further, sensual thrusts catapulted her into another dimension.

Dragging her mouth from his, she gasped as she gazed up into his eyes, the love radiating from the ice blue taking her breath away. “Thranduil, I’m so close,” she whispered.

He smiled. “I know,” he whispered back. “I can feel it. I can feel every twitch, every tremor…so close, baby, so close.” Light butterfly kisses over her cheek and down her neck accompanied his words. “So wet…so tight…so desperate to come for me…” He grazed her neck with his teeth, biting down gently as he sucked on her flesh, knowing it was one of her weaknesses. She let out a strangled wail as her body reacted, every muscle tensing around him.

He groaned as he felt her insides throb around him and pushed harder into her, nudging her closer to her climax. “Come for me,” he panted, lifting back a little to gaze into her eyes. “Squeeze me…make me come for you…”

She bit down hard on her lower lip, not breaking his gaze as he thrust steadily into her, each movement bringing her closer and closer. “I’m coming babe,” she gasped. “Oh God yes…I’m coming..!”

She arched up off the bed with a scream, thrashing under him as her orgasm tore through her, his arms tightening around her to hold her down as he increased the power of his thrusts.

“Yes baby…like that…keep coming…oh my God keep coming…” he groaned. He gripped her hair and turned her head towards him, crushing his mouth against hers as he burst into his own orgasm, white-hot pleasure crashing through his body as he emptied his soul into her convulsing depths. He continued to pound into her, giving her everything he had, until exhaustion flooded him and he gradually stilled, tearing his mouth from hers and gasping hard.

Dropping his head onto her shoulder, his chest heaved as he breathed, aftershocks still rippling through him. Amay turned her head and rested against his, her eyes closed as her fingers trailed over his shoulders and upper arms in lazy patterns. Pressing a gentle kiss to his cheek, she smiled as he mumbled something nonsensical.

Eventually he turned his head so he was facing her, his eyes slowly opening and focusing on hers. A contented smile tugged at his mouth, a pink blush tinging his cheeks. “You are beautiful,” he whispered, lost in her eyes.

She smiled, reaching over and lifting stray hair from his face and settling it over his shoulder. “I love you,” she said softly. “More than you’ll ever know.”

He lifted up slightly, brushing his mouth over hers with a tender touch. “I love you more than that,” he told her. “Much more.”


	45. Damage

** CHAPTER FORTY FIVE **

****

“Good morning, my wife,” Thranduil murmered, touching his mouth to Amay’s as she slowly woke up and opened her eyes.

She smiled, responding to his gentle kiss. “Good morning to you too, my husband,” she replied, running her fingers through his hair. “Did you sleep well?”

He nodded. “Like a log. Absolutely dead to the world.”

“Me too,” she said. “I’m starving. The girls are hungry.” She slid over the bed and swung her feet out, standing up and padding through to the bathroom.

“I’ll go down and set everything up,” he said, rolling his shoulders to loosen up stiff muscles. “Do you want anything in particular to eat?”

“Apart from you? Just a couple of slices of toast, babe,” she replied through the partially closed door. “And a coffee.”

He laughed as he shrugged on his robe. “I’d think something was wrong if you didn’t request that,” he said.

She reappeared in the doorway, folding her arms. “Shouldn’t I be making you breakfast this morning?” she asked with a frown.

“No,” he said. “I am looking after you and our girls.” Slow, deliberate steps carried him over to stand before her. He stared down into deep blue eyes, so in love and so happy. “I love you,” he whispered.

She swallowed. “I love you too,” she replied softly. A smile broke out. “I still can’t believe this is real,” she said. “I feel like it’s all a dream and I’m going to wake up and find out everything’s the way it used to be.”

He shook his head. “This is real, my love,” he told her, rubbing her upper arms. “I promise you, this is real. I’ve never been so happy in my life.”

“Me neither,” she said, stepping into his arms. His long hair tickled her face as she turned her head towards his neck and pressed a kiss to the warm flesh. Sighing contentedly, she relaxed in his protective hold. “When’s Legolas back?”

He had chosen to crash with Bard in a hotel for the night, giving them a night of privacy.

“Late this afternoon, I think, or this evening,” Thranduil replied. The aroma of berry shampoo from her hair filled his senses. “He flies back tomorrow night.”

“I’ll miss him,” she said. “It’s been great having him here. And I think Vicky has really taken to him.”

He laughed, loosening his hold and taking her hand, leading her out of the room and downstairs. “Yes, I got that impression myself,” he admitted. “Legolas only has a couple of months before his final exams, and I get the feeling he’s going to be here more than there afterwards.”

“Like father, like son?” she teased.

“Maybe,” he laughed. “Maybe we both know a good thing when we see it. And am I so glad I saw it.”

“Sweet-talker,” she laughed as she slid onto a stool at the breakfast bar at his gentle urge to sit. “Nah, I wonder if it’ll work out for them, or if it’s just a passing fancy.”

“Who can tell?” he shrugged. “We shall just have to wait and see what the future holds. Would you have guessed we would end up where we are today, had someone asked you a year ago?” He popped bread into the toaster as he talked.

She inhaled, pondering his question. “A year ago I was working my arse off, spending most of my free time listening to Ray bitch about men or getting drunk with him. I was alone in a partner sense; I had no true love in my life. So no. I wouldn’t have guessed things would change so much.”

“I have to admit, I never thought I would be as lucky as to be standing here right now, with you as my wife,” he said quietly. His eyes met hers across the kitchen. “Not after what happened between us.” His gaze lowered again.

“These things make us stronger, babe,” she said gently. “We chalk them up to experience, we move on. That’s life.”

“I really thought you had moved on without me. I would’ve deserved it if you had,” he told her.

She shook her head. “I’d never moved on. I told you I had, but it was bullshit. I knew it, and deep down I think you knew it as well. Our bond is too strong Thranduil, we’re stronger together than apart.”

He nodded, glancing back at the toaster.

“Leave it in the past,” she advised. “We go forwards, we build on today and tomorrow, we focus on what’s ahead, not what’s behind us.”

He smiled, taking the toast as it popped up. “I know, sweetheart. I just go over it in my mind sometimes…wonder what the hell I was thinking of at the time, why I wouldn’t stop and listen-“

“And you have no more answers now than you did then,” she interrupted him. “And I thought we made a deal about not bringing it up again?”

He smirked as he buttered the toast. “You made a deal, I did not necessarily agree to it.”

She snorted. “You’re only tormenting yourself, honey,” she said sadly. “And I don’t want you to do that. I don’t want you to be unhappy, or sad. I want you to look forwards, with me.”

He turned, handing her a plate with the hot, buttered toast on it. “I am,” he said. “Honestly, I am.”

Lifting one eyebrow in a look that said she clearly didn’t believe him, she thanked him and bit into the toast. “Did you countersign the permit renewals?” she asked, changing the subject. “I think they have to be in by tomorrow morning.”

“Yes, I did,” he answered, sitting across from her with his own plate. “I’ll drop them off first thing in the morning, when the offices are open. Or I could post them through the door when I go to pick up Legolas and take Bard back to the airport.”

She shrugged. “It’s up to you,” she mumbled through her toast. “I have quite a few things to get through at the club, plus payroll, so I might not come to the airport with you guys. I’m absolute shit in those places anyway, and knowing my hormones right now I’ll end up wailing and bawling all over everybody.”

He smiled. “And that is perfectly acceptable,” he told her. “Airports are notorious for that kind of thing.”

She grunted. “Not for me, thankyou,” she said. “You can pass on my regards to Bard, and just tell him I’m a mess just now and can’t face goodbyes.”

“You are as tough as nails, my love, yet as soft as a kitten underneath,” he commented.

“Don’t tell anybody, I’ll just deny it,” she quipped, lifting herself from the stool to drop a quick kiss on his mouth. “I won’t be long, the babies are doing the tango with my bladder and I need to run.”

He chuckled in amusement as she darted out of the room.

*****

Amay grunted as she swallowed a mouthful of tepid coffee, frowning at the laptop screen as she bounced the end of her pen off the top of the bar.

“What’s up?” Ray asked, appearing at her back.

“This crap,” she replied. “I wish to God they would update the bloody system for payroll. It’s a pain in the arse every week, it’s never right.”

He folded his arms. “So phone and moan,” he said. “Or email them. Kick their door down. Beat them up.”

She gave him a dry look over her shoulder, making him laugh. “You’re a lot of help, you are,” she said. “About as useful as an ashtray on a motorbike.”

“But I do give a damned good ride,” he quipped.

“Eww, stop that,” she said, scrolling down the screen in front of her. “I’m feeling nauseous enough without that image in my head.”

He cackled, disappearing back to whatever he had been doing.

Amay chewed the end of her pen, her frown still fixed. She glanced up as the doors to the back corridor opened.

All the blood left her head.

“Well, well, well,” the newcomer said, approaching the bar and stopping in front of her. “You’ve come up in the world.”

She locked eyes with the woman who stood on the other side of the bar.

The older woman cast a critical eye around as she ran a hand through her short blond hair. “Not bad,” she commented, pursing her mouth. “Not bad at all.”

Amay stayed silent, waiting.

“You didn’t return my phone calls.”

She shifted, crossing one knee over the other. “No, I didn’t,” she said finally. “I had no reason to.”

“Your mother calls you several times, and you don’t phone back?”

“I might have done if I had a mother,” she replied.

The woman shook her head. “Bitchy, Amethyst. Bitchy.”

“Honest, mother, honest,” she corrected. “You made your choice when you picked sides then cut all contact. I chose to reinforce that choice.”

Her mother stared at her. “You never appreciated the life Danny gave you,” she said.

“No, but I really appreciated the broken bones he gave me, the smashed cheek, the broken nose, the unborn child he beat out of me,” she snapped. “You are so blind you couldn’t see the truth if it was right in front of your eyes.”

“Nonsense,” her mother bit back. “He was the best thing that ever happened to you, you were lucky he took you on. Besides, you don’t have what it takes to be a decent mother. You can’t look after yourself, never mind anybody else.”

“Ha!” Amay laughed. “Are you serious?? What drugs are you on? And if the answer is none, maybe you need some to bring you back to the real world. Lucky…holy shit.” She went back to the laptop, pointedly ignoring the woman.

“Listen here, my girl,” her mother demanded, tapping the surface of the bar. “You don’t know a good thing when it happens. You’ve never had any common sense, you never could make sensible decisions. I see not much has changed in that department.”

“Meaning?” Amay turned away from the screen, folding her arms. Her demeanour had changed. She was angry.

“Well, look at you,” the woman said, as though it was perfectly obvious. “You’ve let yourself slide. Your hair is just diabolical, and that colour does _not_ suit you. I don’t know what you were thinking when you picked that top, but I’ve done my gardening in better. And this isn’t exactly a woman’s dream job, is it?”

Amay leaned her elbows on the bar. “First off, my hair is the way I like it. The colour is what I like. My choice of clothing has nothing to do with you, or anyone else. I wear what I like, and I do not ask permission. I work the job that I like. Now I come to think of it – nothing about me or my life has anything to do with you, so why don’t you keep your nose out of my business and in your own?”

“That’s why I’m here,” she said. “I’m planning on starting my own business.”

“Good for you,” Amay muttered, unfolding her arms and shifting on her stool.

“I need a loan.”

Her jaw dropped. “You need a _what?_ ” she screeched incredulously. “You’ve got some bloody nerve, I’ll give you that. And who do you intend to get this loan from?”

“You, of course,” her mother said, as though she was stupid. “Who else?”

“Oh fucking jog on,” Amay said, shaking her head and laughing humourlessly. “Are you serious? You make my life hell, you turn your back on me, you don’t contact me in a hundred years, and now you think I’m your personal bank?! Bloody hell, you’re more delusional than I thought.”

“You’ve married into money,” her mother hissed. “You can well afford it.”

“That’s neither here nor there,” she shot back. “My husband’s money is exactly that – his.”

Her parent shook her head in disgust. “I’ve seen pictures of him in the papers,” she sneered. “Do you honestly think you’ll be able to keep hold of him?”

“What does that mean?” Amay snarled.

“Look at him! Women can’t keep their eyes off him! Right now I suspect he’s thinking with whatever’s between his legs, but trust me – he’ll come to his senses and find somebody else,” her mother said. “Mark my words. You won’t keep him. You don’t have what it takes to keep a looker like him.”

Heat flooded Amay’s face, as she bit back the urge to cry. “You know nothing,” she hissed.

“I know girls like you!” her mother spat angrily. “They drop their knickers to grab themselves a husband. But it doesn’t last. He’ll get bored with you eventually, and move on to the first decent thing that catches his eye.”

“Is that what happened with you?” Amay shot back.

Her head spun to the side as her mother slapped her, hard enough for the loud _crack_ to echo around the bar. “You’re nothing but a cheap slut,” she snapped. “A cheap, dirty slut. I’m amazed you managed to get as far as to get a ring on your finger.”

Amay turned to her, fire blazing in her eyes. Her instinct was to vault the bar and crush the woman to the floor, but she breathed hard, the urge to protect her unborn children overriding her fury. “Get your lying, cheating, dirty arse out of my building,” she said. “You died in my mind a long time ago, and I don’t deal with ghosts. Get the hell out, and don’t come back.”

Furious blue eyes glared into cold, heartless ones, and eventually her mother shrugged like she didn’t have a care in the world.

“You’ll come running back when he leaves you for something more attractive,” she decided. “You’ll see. It’s just a matter of time.”

“Well I hope you have the patience of a saint,” Amay shot back. “Because you’ll be waiting one hell of a long time.”

The older woman merely smiled, and turned away, taking her time as she left the bar area and disappeared.

Amay’s shoulder sagged, her breath leaving her in a loud gasp as she lowered her head.

“Amay, what the _fuck_ just happened?” Ray asked in horror, touching her shoulder gently.

She lifted her head and shrugged him off, slamming the laptop closed and sliding it underneath the bar. “Take me home, Ray,” she said.

“But Peach-“

“Take. Me. Home. Please,” she repeated, venom in the look she drew him as she turned and stood up.

He nodded, choosing wisely not to push it further. “Come on. I’ll lock up.”

*****

Thranduil hit the speaker option on his cell phone. “Hi, Ray,” he said.

“Hey boss, hope I haven’t caught you at a bad time,” his employee said. “There’s something I think you should know. Where are you?”

“Heading over to the south side, I’m on the freeway,” he replied. “I found an advert for kittens, and was thinking of getting one for Amethyst. What’s up?” He turned the volume down on the car stereo and overtook the vehicle in front.

Ray sighed through the handset. “I’ve just dropped Amay off at yours,” he said. “Her mother turned up at Indigo’s, and they got into it a bit.”

Thranduil frowned. “What d’you mean by _got into it?_ What happened?”

“She wants money off Amay for a business venture or some shit,” he replied. “Amay basically told her to fuck off, and her mother started with all the _you don’t have what it takes to keep your husband_ crap, said she’ll never be able to keep a looker like you and you’ll drop her when something catches your eye.”

Thranduil ground his teeth in anger, slowing to take the next exit. “What did Amethyst say?”

“Oh she held her own and gave her a mouthful back, and her mother slapped her,” he told him.

“She _what?!_ ” he roared. “Is Amethyst alright?!”

“She’s quiet, never spoke a word the whole way home,” Ray said. “She just got out of the car and went in the house. That’s why I’m calling you.”

Thranduil let loose with a stream of curses, accelerating as he followed the road back in the direction he’d come. “I’ll be at the house as soon as I can, I’m about half an hour away, maybe less,” he said. Anger seeped out of his pores. “Thanks for letting me know.”

“Shout if there’s anything I can do,” Ray said, before ending the call.

Thranduil gripped the steering wheel, rage flooding through him. This was one thing Amay didn’t need. She’d battled with her self-esteem and her past the entire time they’d known each other, and he’d felt recently that he had made a little progress with her.

Scenery whipped past as he pushed hard, desperate to return to her and begin to pick up the shattered pieces he knew he would find.

A little over twenty minutes later, he screeched to a halt on the driveway, slamming the car door as he leapt out and bounded up the steps. He threw his keys onto the unit in the hallway, his eyes scanning for his wife.

Following his instinct, he took the stairs three at a time and headed into their bedroom. The bathroom door was closed, but he could hear the shower running. Opening the door, his shoulders dropped at the scene before him.

Amay was sitting in the shower stall, backed up against the wall, her knees drawn up in front of her. Her arms were wrapped around her legs, her head lowered, her shoulders shaking as she cried her heart out.

He leaned in and turned the flow of water off, lifting a towel and stepping into the stall. Dropping to his haunches, he wrapped it around her shoulders and lifted her into his arms. She clung to him like a child, lost and alone. His strong arms cradled her to his chest as he carried her from the bathroom and into the bedroom. Carefully lowering her onto the bed, he tightened the towel around her and slid in at her back fully clothed, pulling her against him as he tugged the quilt up around her.

Sobs shook through her as she cried, and he remained silent, simply holding her as she worked through the demons her mother had resurrected. An age passed before her crying lessened, then reduced to an occasional sob, and eventually she went quiet. He softly kissed her cheek, realising she’d cried herself to sleep.


	46. Family Ties

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was written with Deputy Mom in mind :)

** CHAPTER FORTY SIX **

****

Amay slept through until the early evening, and Thranduil remained behind her with her tucked safely in his arms. He’d sent Legolas a text, telling him to get a cab with Bard and head over to the house when they were ready, and that he was unable to pick them up because he didn’t want to leave Amay.

His son replied that was fine, to stay with her and he would bring Bard back to say goodbye, then take him to the airport, leaving his father with his wife.

Thoughts flew through Thranduil’s mind as he lay next to her. Feelings of sadness, anger, protectiveness, and revenge all vied for the top spot in his heart. He’d known when she had occasionally mentioned her mother that she hadn’t went into great detail about how twisted she was, but the afternoon’s events had shown him just that. The woman who lay in his arms was a loyal, devoted person who gave her everything, and would give her last to someone in need. How she had come from the woman who had birthed her he couldn’t understand, as it sounded like they were polar opposites.

She eventually stirred, and he brought himself back to the present.

Propping himself up onto one elbow, he kept his arms around her as he rested his chin on her arm. “Are you awake, sweetheart?” he asked softly.

“Yes,” she replied, her voice a little hoarse. She didn’t move.

After a moment or two, he carefully rolled her onto her back, gazing into her bloodshot eyes. “Do you want something to drink?” he asked, and she nodded. “Stay right there. I’ll be back in a minute.” He slid out of bed and went down to the kitchen, dragging a hand through his hair as he went.

Bard and Legolas looked up as he entered.

“How is she, dad?” his son asked immediately.

He shook his head. “She hasn’t said anything yet,” he replied. “It’ll take time. I just have to be with her right now; I apologise for not being able to take you to the airport, Bard.”

“Nonsense, man,” he scoffed. “Your place is with your wife. Just be sure and give her my love, and I’ll see her the next time we meet.”

Thranduil nodded, crossing the room to make her a coffee.

“Is there anything I can do?” Legolas asked.

He shook his head. “You’re doing me a massive favour by doing the airport run,” he answered. “I just don’t want to leave her at present.”

“That’s understandable,” Bard commented, drinking his coffee. “She’s a good woman, and she doesn’t need negative influences like this. Especially not while she’s pregnant.”

Legolas nodded, murmering in agreement.

Thranduil made the coffee, said his goodbyes to his business partner, and went back upstairs to his wife. She was in exactly the same position as when he’d left her a few minutes previously.

“You should put your pyjamas on, sweetheart,” he said, placing the coffee next to her. “Sit up baby, I’ll help you.”

She complied, and he slipped a long cotton t-shirt style nighty over her head. Sitting down on the bed, he studied her once she’d wriggled into it and heaved the towel out onto the floor.

“Do you want to talk about it?” he asked, his tone gentle.

She shook her head. “No.”

“That’s ok,” he told her, taking her hand in both of his. “Are you alright? Are the babies alright?”

She nodded.

“Drink this,” he said after a silence, picking up the cup and handing it to her. “Do you need anything? Something to eat?”

She shook her head. “I’m not hungry,” she said.

He gently tipped her chin up with one finger. “I love you,” he told her.

“I love you too,” she whispered. Sadness had taken over the usual spark in her blue eyes.

He pursed his mouth, nodding. “We shall talk when you feel ready,” he said. “Ray filled me in on the basics.”

Her eyes filled with tears, and she blinked rapidly to dispel them, looking away from him.

“Whatever she said, it was nonsense,” he told her. “And I know that without knowing word for word. I promise, it was nonsense.”

She didn’t answer, but took a sip of her coffee. “Babies are awake,” she murmered, feeling soft little kicks.

He smiled, placing one hand gently on her stomach, where the girls reacted to their father’s warm touch and kicked around some more. “That’s our girls,” he said softly. He lifted his eyes to hers. “They will give you strength when mine alone is not enough.”

The sound of a car on the drive made her turn towards the window.

“That’s Legolas, he’s taking Bard to the airport,” he told her.

Her eyes widened. “I haven’t said goodbye to him,” she gasped, and made to get out of bed.

He placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. “It’s alright,” he soothed her. “He sends his love. Do not worry.”

“That’s pretty shit,” she murmered. “I should’ve said something before he left.”

“You can say whatever you want when you next see him,” he assured her. “Do not worry about it right now.”

She nodded, relaxing again. “I think once I’ve had this, I might go back to sleep,” she said.

He smiled. “You and the girls need your sleep,” he said. “I will stay with you.”

“Haven’t you got things to do?” she asked.

He frowned. “Like what? I have nothing planned.”

She shrugged. “I’m sure there are more interesting things you could be doing.”

Shaking his head, he got up and rounded the bed, lying on top of it and sliding his arm around her. Switching the tv on, he pulled her back to lean against him, and they settled into a comfortable silence.

*****

Thranduil scowled.

He’d sent Ray a text asking him to email the footage from the CCTV in Indigo’s, and was sitting in front of his laptop studying it. Amethyst was sound asleep upstairs, and he was glad she didn’t hear him cursing under his breath as he lip-read the conversation between herself and her mother.

“That woman should have been taken out and shot by Customs,” he muttered angrily, turning the footage off.

Legolas turned from where he was preparing dinner. “Bloody hell dad, that’s harsh, even for you,” he commented.

“She deserves it,” his father snarled. “And a whole lot more. She’s lucky she’s an excuse for a female, otherwise I would hunt her down and wallop her the way she did Amethyst.”

“I’m surprised you’re not, to be honest,” Legolas said pointedly.

“I do not hit women, and I do not agree with any man hitting a woman,” Thranduil replied. “Although in this case, I am sorely tempted to make an exception. Horrible woman.”

“Don’t lower yourself to her level, babe,” Amay said softly behind him as she entered the kitchen. “That would make you just as bad as she is.”

“I thought you were asleep, my darling,” he said, turning to her and kissing her gently.

She shrugged. “The smell of food woke me,” she replied.

“Well I hope you like this, Amay,” Legolas chirped. “I think I’ve made enough to feed the five thousand though.”

“It smells good,” she replied, easing herself onto a stool next to her husband. He immediately took her hand in his, entwining his fingers through hers. “And your sisters are awake.”

He grinned, taking three plates from the cupboard and serving the food.

“Where did you learn to cook?” she asked, curious.

“Dad taught me,” he answered. “He said it’s an intrinsic skill that everybody should have.”

She snorted.

“Your step-mother hates cooking, in any shape or form,” Thranduil explained at his confused look.

“Ah,” he said, nodding in understanding. “I don’t mind it, although it’s great to throw a pizza in the oven now and then.”

“I’ll second that,” she said. “I love to eat, just hate having to make it.”

“Well try this,” Legolas said, placing a heaped plate before her. He’d prepared mashed potatoes, sausages, peas and runner beans.

She grinned in appreciation, lifting a fork. “This smells absolutely amazing,” she said, tucking in. “Mmm.”

Thranduil smiled, pleased to see her eating. She had the tendency to neglect herself when she was upset, and he was determined not to let her fall into that trap. Legolas sat a plate before him, and he ate with his fork in his left hand, not releasing the hold he had of Amay with his right. “This is good,” he commented.

“Good. You’re on dishwashing duties,” his son sniggered, sitting across from them at the breakfast bar.

Amay chuckled. “I’ll do the dishes.”

“Indeed you will not,” Thranduil said immediately. “You will put your feet up and relax.”

“Shut up,” she grumbled. “A bit of exercise will do me good. I’ve hardly moved all day.”

“And you were on your feet the entire day yesterday,” he pointed out. “Do what your husband tells you.”

She glanced at him, fighting the urge to laugh at the amusement in his ice blue eyes. “Yanno that’s not going to get you anywhere with me,” she told him, using the side of her fork to cut a sausage.

“I know a lot of things, my love,” he replied with a shrug. “And the fact that you will not be washing the dishes is merely one of them.”

“You two are like a pair of toddlers,” Legolas observed. “Always trying to have the last word.”

Neither of them commented, just exchanged small smiles.

“Would you guys mind if I spent some time with Vicky tonight?” he asked. “I know it’s my last night and all, but I’d really like to see her before I go tomorrow.”

“Been bitten, have you?” Thranduil smirked.

“Uh…maybe,” his son laughed, blushing.

“Go for it,” Amay said. “Sometimes long-distance does actually work.”

Thranduil caught her eye, his gaze softening as he looked at her, a faint smile on his mouth. “Yes, it does,” he said softly. Frowning, he turned back to his meal, chasing away the indecent thoughts that flooded his mind.

Amay laughed and went back to hers.

After dinner, the youngest Oropherion took off, borrowing the CRV as neither of the other two planned on using it for the rest of the night. Amay sat on the couch with her legs over Thranduil’s thighs, her head resting on his chest. His arms were around her, his fingers interlocking to hold her against him. The steady thump-thump of his heartbeat sounded under her ear, soothing her into relaxation.

“You know without a shadow of a doubt that everything that was said today was utter bullshit,” he said, breaking the silence as they watched a movie.

She took a deep breath. “I know,” she replied. “But it still hurt babe, it really hurt.”

“I know, sweetheart. I do not understand how any parent could be so hateful towards their own child,” he murmered.

“She should never have had kids,” she sighed.

“But then you wouldn’t be here,” he reasoned, glancing down at her. Deep blue eyes gazed into his. “And I wouldn’t be here with the most amazing woman in the world in my arms, with two adorable daughters on the way.”

She smiled. “You don’t know they’re going to be adorable,” she said.

“All babies are adorable,” he said. “And seeing as you’re their mother, it’s a guarantee they’ll be extra adorable. Probably a pair of menaces too, but still adorable.”

She chuckled, snuggling back against him. “Double trouble,” she commented. “Or double the fun. Either way, I’m looking forward to them.”

“I am too, my love,” he said. “I cannot wait.”

“I guess in a twisted way, my mother has taught me the most valuable lesson in life,” she said.

Thranduil frowned down at her in confusion.

“She’s taught me how _not_ to be a mum,” she explained.

He nodded slowly, realising her logic. “Yes. That’s a good way of looking at it,” he said. “I like your thinking.”

“I have to take something positive from it,” she replied. Her left hand rested on his chest, the heat radiating from him infusing itself into her.

“I may spend almost all day every day fantasising about fucking you in every position known, I might spend my nights dreaming of you sucking me, of you making me come, of you screaming as I make you come,” he said quietly. “And I just have to look at you, or think of you, and I’m as hard as concrete wanting to fuck you. But I do _not_ think from between my legs, contrary to what she said.” He glanced down at her again. “I know it sounds as though I do, but I do not. I value you as a person, I love you for the amazing woman you are. Not what’s in your underwear.”

She smiled, lifting her hand to touch his cheek. “I know babe,” she said. “Remember the night when we kissed for the first time?”

He grinned, leaning his head back on the couch. “Yes. I sent you a text demanding to see you,” he laughed.

“You said that although you really wanted to take me to bed, you didn’t think I was that kind of person, and you thought I was too special to risk everything for a fling,” she said. “I know how hard it was for you; I fought it like hell as well.”

Ice blue eyes stared deeply into hers as he lifted his head again.

“I wanted to tear your clothes off and fuck you until the end of time,” she whispered. “And the only reason I didn’t was because I didn’t want to spoil it by giving in to it too fast.”

He smiled. “I think our self-control was pushed to the limits when we first started seeing each other,” he said. “I was in agony all the time.”

She laughed. “Me too. I could hardly bloody walk for the ache of wanting you.”

He tucked her hair behind her ear, an intimate gesture that always melted her insides. “But it was worth the wait,” he whispered.

“I think it was,” she agreed. “I’ll never forget two orgasms.”

Deep laughter rumbled through his chest. “You’ve had two – and more – since then,” he reminded her.

“I know. But the first time is always special,” she pointed out. “I didn’t think it was physically possible.”

“The way you explode sweetheart, I was a little unsure myself, but I got you there,” he said, winking at her.

“You definitely did,” she murmered, tucking her head back against his chest and relaxing. “You definitely did.”

*****

Amay hummed along to the music drifting up from the main floor as she concentrated on the screen in front of her, determined to finish the payroll and finalise it.

Thranduil was talking to Bard on messenger, getting updates on progress within his company, while keeping a discreet eye on his wife.

“I think maybe we should change payroll provider,” she muttered, battering the enter key on the laptop in frustration. “This is just one pile of unworkable shite.”

He smirked, tapping rapidly with his thumbs on his phone screen. “If it makes life easier my love, go for it,” he replied. “Personally I think the format system is ancient and outdated.”

“It is,” she said. “God knows when it was designed.”

“Probably in the days of warriors in armour fighting wars to claim kingdoms,” he said. “It’s maybe time to move forwards and look at installing a different program.” He glanced up at her silence, to find her gazing at him with a smile on her face. “What?”

She shrugged. “I’m just imagining you on horseback, in a suit of armour, brandishing a sword,” she mused. “I think you’d look pretty fucking sexy.”

He laughed. “It would have to be a big horse,” he said.

“There are big horse breeds,” she pointed out, going back to her screen. “Look at Shire horses, they’re huge. They’re bred for working on farms and whatnot. Nah…I think you’d look bloody great doing all that medieval stuff.”

“Would you be my wench?” he teased with a grin. “Would you let me drag you off into my tent somewhere and ravish you?”

“Oh I don’t know,” she quipped. “What makes you think you’d have a tent?”

“I’d be royalty, of course,” he shot back, arrogantly.

She leaned her head on her hands and roared with laughter. “In that case, my King, I would _definitely_ let you drag me off and ravish me.”

“Good,” he said, ending his conversation with Bard and tossing his phone onto the couch as he rose to his feet. “Because I intend to ravish you right now. Kiss me, my little wench.”

She lifted her mouth to meet his as he leaned over the desk, groaning in disappointment as his phone started to ring.

“Whoever it is can fuck off,” he muttered. “I have some serious ravishing to do.”

She pulled her lips in to contain her laughter as he whirled around and stalked back over to the couch, grabbing his phone.

“Yes,” he grunted as he answered it.

“Sorry to disturb you, boss,” Ray said in his ear. “Amay’s mother’s here again. Thought you would want to know.”

Thranduil ended the call, turning to her. “Stay up here,” he told her, an angry look in his eyes replacing the lust and passion that had been there only seconds ago. He left the office and closed the door, leaving Amay wondering what had happened.


	47. Solidarity

** CHAPTER FORTY SEVEN **

****

Thranduil marched along the corridor and stormed down the stairs, fury in his blood. No way was he going to allow the horrible woman who waited downstairs get anywhere near his wife after what she’d said and done the previous day.

The few employees present fell into a deathly silence as he reached the main dance floor, his icy glare powerful enough to drop a rampaging elephant from thirty paces. His eyes settled on a woman with her back to him, and he strode over to her.

“I assume you are here to see my wife,” he stated, his tone cold and harsh.

She turned and looked up at him.

She was smaller than Amay, with short blonde hair and blue eyes that lacked the warmth and humour that Amay’s had. Her features were sharp, her stance and body language hostile and unfriendly.

He waited as she slowly lowered her assessing stare to his feet and back up again, unflinching under the scrutiny.

“If your wife is my daughter, then yes,” she said, in an accent not unlike his own. “Where is she?”

He folded his arms over his chest. “After the way you treated her yesterday, you will not be seeing her,” he told her. “You are lucky she does not wish to press charges after you assaulted her.”

“I never laid a finger on her,” she scoffed.

One eyebrow arched. “I have the footage which clearly shows you striking her,” he corrected. “Amethyst may not want to press charges; I however, have not made up my mind.”

“She has you thinking for her, does she?” her mother taunted. “She always was too weak to make her own decisions. Where is she? I want to see her.”

“She is stronger than you give her credit for,” he replied. “And she does not want to see you. I’m sorry to tell you, you have wasted your time.”

“Much like you’re doing with her,” she said. “Get her in here.”

Thranduil’s eyes changed, and the silent staff backed off even further. “I do not wish to know what darkness and evil lurks in your mind, but I assure you the only one wasting their time here is you. I will _not_ get her in here, as you put it. You will stay away from my wife.”

She laughed scornfully. “And how long do you think this _dream marriage_ of yours is going to last? She’s only with you for your money, make no mistake about it. Once she’s had what she can, she’ll be off looking for the next idiot she can seduce.”

He smirked. “You know nothing,” he said, his tone dangerously quiet. “You do not even know your daughter.”

“I know how twisted she is,” she replied. “She’s a selfish one. She’s only out for what she can get; you’ll see I’m right. Everything she does is for her own benefit, nobody else’s.”

“Then she did the right thing by leaving you on the other side of the world,” he replied.

“You’ll tire of her, if she doesn’t spend all your money,” her mother predicted. “You’ll move on to someone with more class, more status. You don’t belong together.”

“Amethyst has more class and status than you could ever imagine in that twisted, warped mind of yours,” he said, his anger rising. “These things do not come into our marriage.”

“Not right now they won’t, she’s sleeping with you for your money,” she spat.

Thranduil shook his head slowly. “You are so poisonous, I actually feel sorry for you,” he said. “You’ve destroyed the opportunity to have an amazing person in your life, and you have no-one to blame but yourself.”

“Amazing?! There’s nothing amazing about her,” she said. “She’s a user with so many issues, nobody could put up with her. I imagine you must be a weak-minded idiot yourself if you think it’s going to last.”

“You do _not_ fucking speak to my husband like that,” Amay hissed, appearing from nowhere and making both of them jump. “You’re just jealous because nobody ever wanted you enough to marry you, all you were good for was a weekend screw. Any issues I have are all down to you and the way you dragged me up, all the _bullshit_ you put into my head over the years. Stay the hell away from me, stay the hell away from my husband, and stay the hell out of our lives! You’re not wanted here, and nobody’s giving you any money for whatever crap you’ve got planned.”

Thranduil let her vent, sliding his arm over the front of her to protect her.

“Don’t speak to me like that!” her mother shouted. “You will give me respect! I don’t know why the hell I came over here to try and make amends; you’re as bloody stubborn and obnoxious as you always were. Danny did the right thing getting away from you. I bet that kid you were carrying wasn’t even his. No wonder he beat it out of you.”

Amay gasped in horror, and Thranduil’s arm supported her as she swayed slightly.

His head whipped round and he glared at the older woman. “I have heard enough,” he hissed furiously. “I will NOT have you disrespect Amethyst like that! She is your daughter, or have you forgotten that? Everything you’ve said about her is wrong. I feel ashamed as a human being that a parent can even think such things, let alone speak of them. You should be ashamed of yourself! Call yourself a mother? You do not have the right to be a mother.”

“I don’t think-“

“ _I HAVE NOT FINISHED!”_  he roared, and everybody in the vicinity jumped in fright as his powerful voice echoed off the walls. “Amethyst is more of a person that you could ever hope to be,” he spat, anger flooding out of his pores. His eyes were blazing with anger. “She is an amazing woman, a beautiful person inside and out, and she is my _wife_. I suggest you turn yourself right around and get the hell out of here. If I find you on my property again, or anywhere near Amethyst, I’ll press charges so fast, you will not know what the hell has happened. I was raised to treat women with respect, but I give no respect to someone who can talk to the woman I love like that. Now get the hell out of here. I do not ever want to see your face again.”

The woman stood in stunned silence, her mouth open, lost for words.

The seconds ticked past, and Amay was sure a pin dropping would be deafening in the silence.

Ray presented himself, with Stevie at his shoulder. “I believe you were told to leave,” he said coldly.

She closed her mouth, glared at Amay, and followed the two bouncers away from them and through the doors towards the exit.

Amay closed her eyes and took a deep breath, sagging against Thranduil as he wrapped both arms around her and pulled her against him. Her fists clutched his top, her body trembling under his hands.

“Are you ok, sweetheart?” he whispered, burying his face against her neck. “You should not have come down, my love.”

She swallowed, shaking her head against him. “I wasn’t going to sit back and let you take the brunt of her hatred,” she gasped. She lifted her head from his shoulder and gazed into his eyes, her own filling with tears. “I’m sorry she spoke to you like that,” she said, her voice breaking. “I’m-“

He crushed his mouth to hers to silence her, knowing it was the only effective way to stop her flow of words. His warm hands lifted and cradled her face as his mouth moved tenderly over hers; loving, gentle, and warm. He slowly lifted his head, wiping a few tears away with his thumbs. “People have said worse things to me, and it has not affected me,” he whispered. “Such things do not bother me in the slightest. My only concern is you and our daughters, nothing else.” He looked over the top of her, summoning the staff over. “Make it known that that horrible woman never gets entry to this building again,” he told them. “If she is seen within a hundred yards of this place, I will have you tell me. She does not get anywhere near Amethyst again.”

“Understood, boss,” Ray said, re-joining the group after making sure Amay’s mother had gone. “She won’t get back in.”

He nodded firmly. “Good. Make sure all staff are aware, particularly those who are on the doors during trading hours. Anyone who lets her in has to answer to me.”

The workers mumbled their agreement and slowly shuffled away.

He turned his gaze back to his wife, who was still visibly upset. “Why did you come down, my angel?” he asked in a pleading tone. “I wish to shield you from things like this.”

She sniffed, frowning as she battled for control. “I’m not bailing out on my husband,” she answered after taking a moment or two to collect herself. “You’re too special, too precious to have to be faced with poison like that.”

“And you are not?” he asked, tenderly tucking her hair behind her ear and shaking his head. “My crazy, stubborn, adorable wife.” His arms folded her into a warm embrace as he sighed and closed his eyes. “I love you, sweetheart.”

“I love you too,” she whispered, holding onto him as though he was the most precious thing in the world.

To her, he was.

*****

Amay finished peeling the potatoes, and began to cut them as she dropped them into the pan. Tossing the knife aside once she had finished, she gathered up the peelings and stepped on the pedal of the trash, depositing them inside.

“Ask me,” she said, without turning round. She could feel Thranduil watching her silently.

He smiled slightly. “Ask you what?”

She turned to him, wiping her hands on a tea-towel. “I know you have lots of questions rattling around in that clever mind of yours,” she said, leaning back against the worktop. She shrugged. “I’m in the right frame of mind right now to talk, so ask.”

He inhaled deeply, contemplating his questions. “You do not sound like her,” he said.

“No. She was born in England, I was born and raised in Scotland,” she told him. “That’s why the accents are so different.”

“And you do not look like her either.”

“Nope.” She shook her head. “Both of us are brunette naturally; I went blue-black and she went blond, trying to look younger, or some crap she said at the time. I look more like my old man, apparently.”

“You never met him?” he frowned.

“I did, a long, long time ago. He wasn’t interested,” she said. “The way I look at it, it’s no loss to me. If someone doesn’t want to be in your life, why push it? It can only end in tears, and I’ve had enough of those in my life.”

“You have, my love,” he said softly. “And I intend to make sure the only tears you cry in the future are happy ones.”

She smiled, touched as always by his thoughtfulness and his affection. Walking over to him, she sat on the stool across from him, taking his hand in her own. “Thank God I put on a loose t-shirt this morning,” she said, gazing at their joined hands. “I don’t think she clocked the fact that I’m pregnant.”

“It would make no difference if she had,” he stated. “Our children will have nothing to do with her. They need not know of her existence. She did you enough damage sweetheart; I do not wish her to have the opportunity to inflict that on our daughters.”

“I still can’t believe she flew all the way over here on the scrounge for cash,” Amay said, shaking her head. “It just shows you the length some people will go to when they really want something.”

He smiled. “I flew all the way over just to see you,” he reminded her, going back to the first time they’d slept together. “I was so lonely, so lost…I decided fuck it, and got on the first flight I could.”

She grinned, her cheeks turning pink at the memory.

“I did not fly over with the intention of bedding you,” he told her. “I just wanted to see you, to be with you, to hold you.”

She nodded. “I know. I remember thinking that I was going to pass out when I got off the phone, opened the door, and there you were, like a dream come true. It’s hard to describe how I felt.”

He laughed. “You started screaming,” he said. “I think you woke up half the building.”

“Good,” she retorted. She fell silent for a few moments. “I don’t know if this is the last we’ve seen of her,” she murmered, lifting her gaze to his. “I don’t know if she’ll give up and accept defeat that easily.”

His fingers entwined through hers in a reassuring hold. “She will not get to you, my darling,” he said. “Wherever you go, there will always be someone with you. Me, ideally and preferably, but if not, someone whom I deem capable of looking after you.”

Her smile widened. “It’s funny how you can go through life not realising until you have someone in particular, just how much you missed that person before you even knew them. Am I making sense?”

He nodded, pursing his mouth. “Not really, but I understand what you are trying to say,” he answered. “I suppose it’s like that for me also. I didn’t realise how much I needed you until I met you – that sounds just as messed up as what you said.” They both laughed, and she got back up to turn the potatoes off the boil.

“Do you think my ex and my mother are here together?” she asked over her shoulder.

“I wouldn’t be surprised,” he said truthfully. “I think he came over to scope things out, see how the land lay as it were, and she followed. Whether he came back with her or not remains to be seen.”

“Or if he left at all,” she said.

“If he shows up again, we can contact the police,” Thranduil said. “We have footage of him from Indigo’s, remember? The way he grabbed you is classed as assault, and any lip-reader could verify he was threatening you.”

She murmered in agreement, opening the cupboard above her head to take plates out.

“No, I will attend to that,” he said, rising swiftly and gently turning her away. “You should not be reaching over your head now.”

“I know, I know,” she said. “I forget sometimes.”

He gave her a look as he lifted plates down and set them on the worktop. “You know the umbilical cords can become twisted and can potentially strangle the babies,” he said. “Please keep this in mind.”

“I will,” she promised. “It’s only occasionally I go to do something out of habit, then remember I can’t do it anymore.”

“Just wait until there are two gorgeous baby girls hurtling around here,” he said with a grin. “It’ll be amazing.”

“It’ll be chaos,” she laughed. She tipped her head to one side, studying him. “Did you want more children?”

“To be honest, I never thought I would be in the position to have any more,” he told her. “And when I met you, I knew if I were to become a father again, you were the woman I would want to have a child with. When I found out you had fallen pregnant, I was overjoyed. Scared and terrified, but overjoyed.”

“Scared and terrified of what?” she asked with a frown. “You’ve done this before, you’ve raised a son.”

“That’s not what scared me,” he answered. “I was scared that I had lost you, plus two children on the way, because of my stupidity.”

“Oh,” she said. “Ok, subject change.”

He smiled, holding his arms out. She stepped into his embrace, closing her eyes and inhaling his aroma as she pressed her face against his chest.

“You smell _so_ good,” she said, muffled by his clothing. “Damn, I could take a big bite out of you.”

He chuckled. “Wait until after dinner baby, see if you are still hungry then,” he advised.

Lifting her head, she grinned up at him. “I’m always hungry for you,” she replied. Her eyes closed as his mouth lowered to hers, the soft caress sending sparks down to her toes.

*****

Amay lay awake in the darkness, the gentle sound of Thranduil’s breathing relaxing her. His heart thumped rhythmically below her ear, the warmth of his body infusing itself into hers. Her fingers lazily trailed circles on his skin, the softness fascinating her. His long hair was entwined with hers, and she felt complete. Contented.

Except for one thing.

She blinked, unable to see because of the density of the darkness, but that didn’t stop her mind, which could see clearly. No-one was going to take advantage of Thranduil and his wealth, no matter what.

And she was going to move heaven and earth to make sure of it.


	48. Needing Thranduil

** CHAPTER FORTY EIGHT **

****

The weeks flew past.

Legolas completed his university course, graduated with honours, and was spending a lot of time in the US, as his father had correctly predicted. Vicky had grown on him in a massive way, and they seemed to be a good match for each other, rarely being apart when he was over.

Indigo’s went from strength to strength, and Ray stepped up to the line in his role as deputy manager. The fireworks between him and Sophie seemed to fizzle out, but as Amay warned Thranduil, it would only be a temporary truce, as the two couldn’t help themselves and always found a reason to spark off one another.

Amay’s mother had seemingly disappeared, and they guessed she’d given up and returned to the UK. Thranduil relaxed a little, but still watched over his wife protectively.

Amay herself expanded rapidly, and before she realised it, she was unable to put her sneakers on, or to do basic things she had taken for granted in the past. Tormented with constant backache and sore hips, she waddled through her days as best she could, much to Thranduil’s amusement.

He wasn’t amused however, when he came back from the store one evening to find her in tears.

“Amethyst, what’s wrong?” he asked in alarm, dropping the grocery sack on the floor and rushing over to her.

She was sitting on the floor with her back against the couch, sobbing her heart out. “I hate this!” she wailed, distraught.

“Hate what? What’s the matter, sweetheart?” he asked, lowering himself to his knees beside her and pulling her against him. “Talk to me, baby, tell me anything.”

“I can’t do anything!” she cried. “I’m fat and horrible and I can’t reach things, I can’t pick anything up and I can’t see my feet anymore! I’m tired all the time, I just want to cry all the time and I look horrible-“

“Sshhh,” he whispered, rubbing her back. “Stop this. You are not fat, or horrible, my love. Anything but that. We said this would happen, and I promised you I would still love you, and I do. Stop worrying over these things, they will pass.”

She sniffled against him, feeling miserable and wallowing in it. “I hate this,” she said.

“It is only temporary, my darling,” he told her. “Once the babies are born, you will go back to the way you were. And if you do not, then I shall still love and adore you anyway. Why are you letting this upset you so much?” Concerned blue eyes met hers as he tipped her chin up to look at him. “You know I love you with everything that I am.”

“I feel so unattractive,” she whispered brokenly.

“But you are not,” he insisted, wiping her tears away. “You are gorgeous, and beautiful, and sexy, and glowing. Please listen to me, I am telling you the truth.”

“You would say that anyway,” she grumbled, an odd tear still trickling down her cheek.

“When have I ever lied to you?” he asked.

“Never,” she admitted softly.

He sighed, pulling her back against him. “What have you been up to while I was at the store?”

“Not much,” she answered, again muffled as she’d turned her face into his hooded top. “Sophie texted me through some photos.”

“Hmm,” he murmered.

“She’d been out shopping and showed me what she’d bought for some party she’s going to at the weekend,” she said. “She looked amazing.”

“That’s what’s upset you,” he said. “Listen to me.” He pushed her away slightly and made her look at him. “Sophie is a single, party-going person with no ties, no family, no responsibilities. You’re a married woman with a husband who worships you, and you’re carrying two precious bundles who need somewhere warm, safe, and comfortable to live until they are born. That warm, safe, comfortable place happens to be the bump you have, and that’s the way it’s supposed to be. You are doing something so amazing, so fulfilling, and so natural. Stop comparing yourself to others, my love. Please.”

She blinked, swallowing, and slowly nodded, leaning back against him.

He rested his cheek on the top of her head, his mind going back to what Ray had told him when Sophie had first appeared. Maybe his dislike for the other bouncer had some merit after all.

*****

Amay padded through to the spare room Thranduil had converted into a temporary office, frowning as she noted he had turned his seat and was gazing out of the window. Gently placing her hands on his shoulders, she massaged the tense muscles.

“Are you ok, babe?” she questioned softly, sensing tension.

He turned his head, giving her an amazing view of his profile. “Why do you ask?”

She continued to knead his shoulders. “That doesn’t work, you know,” she said. “Answering a question with a question. I should know; I do it all the time.”

He sighed softly, turning back to the window. “I’m fine,” he said eventually.

She remained silent as she worked, knowing something was wrong, but he would tell her in his own time. He wasn’t a man to be pushed into answering questions, preferring to reply in his own time.

He watched as a rabbit bounced across the grass, stopped and sniffed around, then turned tail and disappeared into the trees. “My mother passed away through the night,” he said quietly.

Her hands stilled.

“Bard called to let me know.”

“Oh baby…I’m so sorry,” she said, turning the seat so he faced her. His mother had been unable to attend their wedding due to health issues.

Anguished blue eyes met hers. “I’ll have to fly over for the funeral,” he said, swallowing. “Bard is sorting everything else for me – I do not know what I would do without him.”

She nodded. “Of course, you have to be there,” she said softly. “Oh my God, I’m so sorry.” She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, and he leaned into her, burying his face against her chest. “What can I do?”

“Nothing, my love,” he replied. “But we have a problem.” He leaned back and looked at her. “You cannot fly after thirty two weeks.”

“What?!” she wailed. “I thought it was thirty six?? I’m sure it’s thirty six, and I’m only thirty five and a half!”

He shook his head. “Thirty two for twins,” he told her. “I cannot take you with me.”

“You can’t do this alone!” she cried. “I’m your wife, babe – I need to be with you and support you!” Tears welled up in her eyes at the thought of her husband having to go through burying his mother alone.

“Please do not get upset,” he whispered, framing her face with both hands. “I do not want you to be upset.”

She gazed at him, her inner emotions in turmoil. “How can I let you do this by yourself?” she whispered brokenly. “What good am I as a wife if I can’t be there for you?”

He swallowed again. “The kind of wife who is heavily pregnant with her husband’s babies,” he said, his words gentle and loving. “No airline will allow you to fly at this stage my darling, and truth be told, I would not be comfortable this far along.”

Her gaze darted around as she fought for control. “I can’t believe this,” she said. “The one time in your life I should be with you, and I can’t.”

“I fly out on Wednesday, the funeral is on Thursday, and I return on Friday,” he said. “I know it is not ideal, and I do not want to leave you alone. However…” He hesitated. “I have to take Legolas. She was his grandmother.”

She nodded. “I know. Oh God…I feel so useless.”

He shook his head. “You are keeping our daughters safe and protected and that is more important than anything,” he said, sliding his hands down her arms and grasping her hands. “I was thinking either Ray or Vicky could stay here with you until I return. I am not going to leave you alone.”

The friendship between herself and Vicky had deepened since her relationship with Legolas had begun.

“I have no problems with that,” she answered. “I just feel so bad for you, my love.”

“I will be alright,” he assured her. “It will be better knowing you are safe here. Three days, my darling. Only three days.”

She leaned back against him, folding her arms around his shoulders and closing her eyes in despair, knowing the situation was out of her hands and there was nothing she could do.

*****

Thranduil and Legolas flew out on Wednesday afternoon.

Amay cried her eyes out as her husband left, after spending ages in his arms as they tried to bring each other comfort. He’d asked her not to accompany him to the airport, that way he wouldn’t have to worry about her driving back home afterwards. She’d suggested Ray drive, but he’d remained firm and asked her to remain at the house. Understanding his protectiveness over her and their unborn children, she’d agreed, but was still distraught at sending him away without her at his side.

Ray and Vicky settled into a spare room each, and spent the evening hovering over her like flies, much to her disgust. Ray couldn’t make a decent coffee to save himself, although Vicky soon mastered it and refused to let her get up to make it herself.

“You need a crane to get you to your feet,” she explained, bustling around. “At least with us here, you can put your feet up and rest.”

“I do anyway,” Amay grumbled. “Thranduil doesn’t let me lift a finger these days. I feel like a caged-up tiger.”

“And no house work,” Ray commented, waggling a finger at her. “I know you and your obsession with bleach. Not on my watch, lady.”

She poked her tongue out at him, having no energy to fight over it. The babies were jiving and dancing around as though they were in Indigo’s, and her back was killing her. At one point she lifted her top and a tiny foot could clearly be seen, much to Ray’s delight and Vicky’s horror.

Thranduil called once the flight had landed, and spent over an hour talking with her. She curled up in bed with the phone between her ear and the pillow.

“I’ve got you in bed with me,” she told him.

“That is exactly where I would love to be,” he replied, and she could hear his amusement in his tone. “It’s cold over here just now.”

“Well, you’re snuggled up on the pillow with me,” she said. “The babies are awake and going mad, they’ve been really active since you left.”

“Well, I’m hoping to change our flights back to one late this evening,” he said. “The funeral is at lunchtime, and there’s no reason for me to remain here after everything is over. Legolas is going to stay for a couple of days and sort my mother’s house…I prefer to be there with you, particularly seeing as you are so close to delivery.”

“Don’t put yourself under any stress,” she advised him. “Do what you have to do babe, and come back when you’re ready. We’re not going anywhere.”

“I know, sweetheart,” he said softly. “I miss you though.” He laughed. “How crazy is that…we haven’t been apart for more than a bunch of hours and I’m pining over you already.”

“Same here,” she admitted. “Just promise me you’ll call me if you need me, and to stay safe.”

“I will,” he promised. “Sleep well, my love. I miss you, and I love you.”

“I miss you too, and I love you more,” she replied, tears in her eyes as she ended the call with a sigh. Rolling over onto her back, she gazed up at the ceiling, rather than staring at the empty space beside her where he should be. Her thoughts drifted to the previous evening, when he’d rolled her onto her side with her back to him, and had slowly made love to her, whispering how beautiful she was and how much he adored her. Her insecurity was at an all-time high due to her rapidly increasing size, and he knew she was struggling with her self-confidence. He seemed so in tune with her thoughts, feelings, and emotions, and took time to ease her worries.

Thinking that there was only ever one Thranduil and only ever would be, she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.

*****

Amay groaned, leaning her shoulders back with both palms flat against the small of her back.

“Are you alright, Peach?” Ray asked with a frown.

She nodded, scowling. “Aye. My backache is getting worse; the babies are so active just now. I don’t think they’ve rested since Thranduil left.”

He lifted an eyebrow. “Did he manage to get to the airport on time?”

She nodded, leaning on the back of the couch. “He had to practically fly himself to make it,” she replied. “It was sheer chance it was a last-minute cancellation and he was close enough to get there before take-off.”

“What time does he land?” Vicky asked, tapping her feet to the beat that pounded through the one earbud that she had in. “I’ll go and pick him up.”

Amay smiled. “Thanks, honey. He should be here by the back of ten tonight, hopefully. I can’t wait to see him.”

Ray snorted. “Less than three days, madam, less than three. God knows what you’d be like if it was a week apart, dammit.”

She picked up an empty juice carton and bounced it off his head. “Shut up. Wait until you find somebody; you’ll understand, and it’ll be my turn to rip the piss outta you.”

Vicky grinned, turning her attention back to the magazine she was engrossed in. “He doesn’t know he’s been born yet,” she commented.

“Just because you’re all loved up with Leggy,” he spat.

Amay smirked, standing back upright and waddling through to make coffee for the three of them. She winced as she rubbed her hand over her abdomen, the tightening making her uncomfortable. “You guys want anything to eat?” she yelled.

“No, we’re fine, thanks,” Vicky yelled back. “D’you need any help through there?”

“Nah, I’m alright,” she replied, setting three mugs on the worktop and switching the kettle on. “Just bloody sore.” Taking the jar of coffee from the cupboard, she put it next to the mugs and opened the drawer for a spoon. A sudden burst of wetness soaked her legs, and she looked down with a gasp. “Guys!”

Both friends shot through at her cry, skidding to a halt in the doorway.

She lifted her head and looked at them in horror. “My waters have broken,” she whispered.

*****

Thirty thousand feet in the air, Thranduil closed his eyes and tried to make himself relax. He felt uneasy, and couldn’t pinpoint the cause. His mother’s funeral had gone as planned, and as heartbroken as he was, he couldn’t wait to close the distance between himself and Amay. Even though they’d only been apart for a short time, he’d missed her and couldn’t wait to see her again.

A small smile curved his full mouth as he thought about her. A memory from a few months previous drifted to mind, one night when they were on duty in Indigo’s. She’d been dancing with him, her arms around his waist as she swayed with him, her growing bump restricting her. He’d stared down into her blue eyes, still stunned at the love that radiated from them as she’d gazed up into his. En Vogue’s My Lovin’ (Never Gonna Get It) had been pounding across the club, the hypnotic beat drawing them both under a magical spell in the semi-darkness.

He sighed to himself as his phone beeped, opening his eyes as he reached for it and accessed the incoming text message.

His heart stopped.

Amay was in labour, and he was at least four hours away.

*****

Amay cursed and swore as the team of midwives bustled around her, checking monitors and muttering amongst themselves. Sweat trickled down in between her shoulder blades as she wriggled in discomfort.

“Ray, did you text Thranduil?” she grunted, wincing in pain.

“I did, Peach, he’s a few hours away from landing,” he told her, glancing from his phone to her. “I’m not sure telling him was the right thing though, he’s having a hairy fit up there.”

“I’m not doing much better myself!” she snapped. “Sorry honey…I don’t mean to be sarky. I need him here with me.”

“He’ll be here,” he assured her, gripping her hand.

“You’re booked in for a section in just over a week,” the lead midwife commented, scanning a thick file of Amay’s notes. “If labour progresses like this, I think you can probably do a natural delivery. The babies aren’t showing any signs of distress, and everything seems to be textbook. We’ll keep the OR on standby just in case.”

“How long before she delivers?” Ray asked.

She shrugged. “A couple of hours yet, at least. Plenty of time for dad to get here, don’t worry.” She smiled at Amay, checking her pulse. “That’s fine. Just try to relax as best you can, buzz us if you need anything.” With that, she took the file and left the room.

Amay turned huge eyes to Ray. “I need Thranduil,” she whispered, tears forming in her eyes.

“Oh Peach – don’t cry! He’ll be here, don’t worry,” he assured her. “He wouldn’t miss this for the world, I know he wouldn’t.”

“I’m scared,” she said, gripping his hand. “I can’t do this without him.”

“If you had to, you could, but you won’t have to,” he said, stroking her hair comfortingly. “Now, let’s place bets on who each baby is going to look like. I bet the firstborn looks like you.”

She smiled, touched at his support and attempt to distract her from the fact that her husband was still a couple of thousand miles away from her.

*****

“Push!” the midwife urged, rubbing her back as she hunched forwards as much as she could. “Push harder!”

“I can’t do this!” Amay screamed, exhausted. “I can’t push any harder!”

“Yes you can,” she told her. “You have to. These girls aren’t coming out unless you do.”

Amay leaned back against the pillows, tears streaming down her face in pain and fear. “I need my husband!” she sobbed. “I can’t do this without him!”

Thranduil had landed and Vicky was off to pick him up, but he hadn’t reached the hospital, and Amay was almost hysterical.

“Just relax, Peach,” Ray said, trying to calm her. “He’ll be here as soon as he can, he’s probably caught up in traffic. Let’s get at least one of these girls here as a welcome home gift for him. Come on, push, honey.”

She gripped his and the midwife’s hands, digging her heels into the mattress as she pushed with everything she had. A scream tore from her throat and seemed to go on forever. She made so much noise, she drowned out everything around her.

She heaved as she gasped for air, letting go of Ray’s hand as he howled in pain at her death grip. Stepping back, he rubbed his injured hand, shaking his head to clear it.

“OhmyGod another one!” she roared, reaching blindly for him. A large, warm hand took hers, and she instinctively knew it wasn’t her friend’s. Glancing up, her eyes met Thranduil’s as he smiled down at her, her hand held tightly in his.

“Did you think I’d let you do this all by yourself?” he teased.

Contractions forgotten, she threw her arms around his shoulders


	49. Amaris And Adira

** CHAPTER FORTY NINE **

****

Amay sobbed as she pulled Thranduil down next to her, hanging on to him for dear life. His large hands rubbed her back, and he murmered soothing words in her ear.

“I’m here, sweetheart, I’m with you,” he whispered. “Everything’s going to be alright, I promise.”

She trembled as she fought to breathe, pulling back to drag her hand over her face. Lifting her head, she crushed her mouth to his in a brief, but desperate kiss.

He smiled, tucking her hair behind her ear. “Let’s get these girls here,” he said.

She nodded, pain ripping through her body to a whole new level. Grasping his hand, she took a deep breath and concentrated on her breathing, gripping him hard as she pushed and pushed.

“Almost there,” the midwife told her, having moved to her feet. “Baby girl one is crowning.”

The minutes ticked past as she pushed and stopped, pushed and stopped, screaming with pain and effort.

Amay’s eyes met Thranduils, and he smiled gently. She nodded, taking another deep breath. Her scream ricocheted off the walls of the delivery suite, deafening all around her, as she bore down and pushed with everything she had. Her ear-splitting scream became two as the cry of a newborn joined in, and baby number one made her entrance.

Amay gasped as she collapsed against Thranduil, thankful his strength supported her weakened body.

“Well done, my love,” he said, close to her ear. “That’s one here, only one to go. She’s perfect.” His gaze was on his daughter, and Amay opened her eyes to have a look. The tiny pink bundle was being rapidly cleaned, weighed, and wrapped in a soft towel.

Her contractions hit back with a vengeance, making her howl in agony.

“This one’s desperate not to be left behind,” the midwife said, her eyebrows lifting in mild surprise. “I can see the top of her head already. Come on mom, let’s get her out.”

Amay rocked back and forth, tears of pain cascading down her face. Thranduil held her hands tightly with one of his, the other rubbing her back. She leaned against him for a few minutes, absorbing his aroma, his strength, and his presence. Her heart swelled with love, she was so grateful he was with her. His heart beat a reassuring, comforting rhythm in her ear as she leaned against him, and she drew strength from it. Squeezing her eyes closed, she lowered her head and pushed like her life depended on it. Her roars of pain seemed to go on forever, before she flopped back against the pillows again.

“Almost there, my darling,” he whispered, kissing her softly. “Almost there.”

She sat back up again, resuming her pushing. After what seemed like an eternity, and feeling like she was being ripped in half, baby girl number two screamed her arrival as she was pushed into the waiting, welcoming hands of the midwife.

Thranduil laughed, tears of joy on his face. “You did it!” he said. “You did it! They’re both here, and they’re both gorgeous!”

Amay didn’t answer, her energy completely drained from her. She leaned her full weight against him, and both his arms circled her to hold her. She was vaguely aware of a soft kiss on her head, but couldn’t open her eyes or respond.

Thranduil didn’t realise she had lost consciousness until the midwife glanced over and yelled for assistance.

*****

Amay opened her eyes, feeling like she’d gone to war and hadn’t had the sense to lie down and die on the battlefield. Monitors and equipment beeped and made weird noises around her, and she felt disorientated and confused. Her gaze wandered towards the door, where Thranduil was talking with a doctor, and he glanced over the doc’s shoulder.

“She’s awake,” he said, shoving the medic aside and striding over to her. “My God Amethyst, are you ok?” His face was pale with worry, with dark shadows under his eyes. “Are you alright, my love?”

She nodded slowly, still depleted of energy. “Where’s our girls?” she whispered.

He smiled. “They are asleep,” he answered, taking her hand in his as he sat on the edge of the bed.

The doctor approached and shone a light into her eyes, making her close them against the harsh intrusion. After checking her stats on the monitor closest to her, he nodded in satisfaction. “You gave your husband quite a scare,” he observed, turning to her.

“What happened?” she asked. Thranduil held a plastic tumbler of water for her, allowing her to take a drink.

“Your blood pressure crashed,” the doctor replied. “A combination of blood loss through delivery, and your breathing. I personally feel that delivering twins naturally was a little too much for your body to cope with. A section would have been much less stressful on you.”

“That is what was originally planned,” Thranduil said, glancing over at him.

He nodded. “I’m unclear at this point as to why the delivery team decided to go for a natural SVD, but I will be looking into it. The main thing is that mom and both babies are healthy, although mom will need rest before she can move around. I’d like to see you staying where you are until late evening at least.”

“That will not be a problem,” Thranduil assured him. “I won’t be leaving her side.”

“Good,” he nodded in approval. “A nurse will come by and check your vitals periodically, and the buzzer is within reach if you require anything.”

“I want to see my babies,” she said, slowly pushing herself into a sitting position.

“They are right here, my love,” Thranduil said, nodding with his head to the other side of the bed. Two tiny cribs sat side-by-side, each holding a sleeping baby girl.

The doctor disappeared, satisfied Thranduil would look after her.

Amay grinned, leaning over to see them. “Oh my God, they’re beautiful,” she whispered. “So beautiful.”

“Of course they are,” he said. “You are their mother; how could they not be beautiful?”

She laughed, gripping his hand in hers. “Oh my…they’re finally here,” she murmered, almost in wonder.

“The nurses have bottle fed them twice, as you were not in a condition to feed them,” he told her. “I do not know how you feel about that…” He trailed off.

She shrugged. “I’m neither here nor there,” she told him. “I don’t think I’ve started producing milk yet anyway, so formula milk maybe is the best way forwards. Oh wow…I can’t wait to hold them!”

He eased his weight up from the bed, circling to the other side where the babies slept. Carefully lifting one, he gently passed her into her arms. “This is the firstborn,” he said, his eyes darting between mother and child.

She studied the sleeping infant. Light blond fuzz covered her head. “Amaris?” she suggested, looking up at him.

He smiled, and nodded. “I had a feeling you would go with that for her,” he answered, lifting the second baby and settling back on the edge of the bed. Amay shifted Amaris and he placed Adira so both children slept peacefully in their mother’s arms.

A silent tear trickled down her cheek, and his soft touch swept it away. “I am so proud of you,” he whispered. “So proud, my darling. You are so good to me.”

She smiled through her tears. “It takes two,” she reminded him softly.

He nodded. “I do not know what I have done to deserve this,” he said. “I am so happy right now.”

“I’m glad,” she said. “You deserve to be happy. How did it go back in the UK?”

He shrugged. “Nothing out of the ordinary,” he replied, gently running the tip of his forefinger against Adira’s cheek. “To be expected. I did the formalities and came home as soon as I could.”

She tutted softly in sympathy.

“My mother would not mind,” he told her. “I know she would rather I was here for her granddaughters’ arrivals. You know what they say – one door closes, another opens.” Ice blue eyes lifted to hers.

“It’s strange how that happens,” she acknowledged. “I’ve seen it quite a lot in families…it’s almost like someone dies to make room for someone to be born. Can you take one of the girls, babe? My arms are cramping.”

He gently lifted Adira who was closest to him. Her soft hair was dark like her mother’s. “Legolas will be back in two days,” he said. “I sent him a photo of the girls, and he can’t wait to come back.”

She grinned. “I think he’s going to be quite protective over them,” she said.

“I know he will,” he agreed.

“How’s Ray?” she asked suddenly, with a frown. “The last I remember was him screaming that I’d broken bones in his hand.”

Thranduil laughed, tilting his head back.

She took a deep breath, stunned at how gorgeous he was.

“Ray is absolutely fine,” he replied. “There is no damage to his hand, just his ego. It was perfect timing though; he jumped away from you as I got here, so I stepped in. He took off muttering about needing an x-ray.”

“Good grief,” she said, shaking her head. “Ever the drama queen. It was me giving birth, not him!”

He grinned. “You know how he is,” he commented dryly. “He gets stroppy if he is not the centre of attention. He’s fine, he is merely bruised a little.”

Amaris chose that moment to waken, stirring in Amay’s arms and yawning as her tiny fists flailed around. Within seconds, she started to cry.

“Somebody’s hungry I think,” Amay said, shifting her position slightly. Thranduil passed her a prepared bottle of formula, watching her as she tilted the teat to her daughter’s small but perfectly-formed mouth, and the baby suckled hungrily, closing her eyes.

“You’re a natural,” he said quietly.

“My next-door neighbour had her son when I was about nine or ten,” she replied. “I used to feed and change him quite a lot, and babysit him when she went out to paint the town red.”

He frowned. “At that young age?”

She nodded. “Some people don’t seem to care, as long as they can maintain their lifestyle,” she said. “It makes me wonder about the human race sometimes. All the time, actually.”

“It never occurred to me to have a social life when Legolas was young,” he said. “When I was not working, I was at home with him.”

“Yeah…that’s what most normal parents do,” she told him, glancing from her daughter to him. “I’ll miss Indigo’s, but maybe a rest away will do me the world of good. These last few months have been really hard.”

He scowled at her. “I told you to tell me if it was getting too hard for you,” he said crossly.

“I was only behind the bar,” she reminded him with a grin. “And you were with me. It wasn’t as though I wasn’t being looked after.”

“You are deliberately missing my point,” he said.

“Yep,” she agreed.

Adira stirred in her father’s arms, waking for a feed. Amay watched in silent wonder as Thranduil lifted another bottle and started to feed her. The feeling of love and admiration grew rapidly and with so much force, she felt tears sliding down her cheeks.

“What’s wrong?” he asked in alarm.

“Nothing,” she said, wiping her cheek on her shoulder. “Just seeing you like this…so connected, so devoted…” Her tears flowed faster.

He carefully leaned towards her, brushing his mouth against hers. “This is what marriage and a family is, my angel,” he whispered. “And it will never change. I will _always_ be a thousand percent devoted to you and our children, never ever doubt that.”

She nodded, managing a tearful smile. “I know,” she whispered back.

*****

Amay yawned, snuggled against Thranduil’s chest with his arm around her shoulders. Despite protests from the nursing team, he was stretched out on top of the bed with her, knowing she would relax and drift off to sleep in his arms.

Ray and Vicky were gooing over the babies, and Thranduil smiled as he listened to the fuss they made over the tiny girls.

“Ok folks, beat it,” he said eventually. “Amethyst is drained and needs her rest. Clear off and I’ll text you in the morning to let you know if we’re coming home.”

“Got it, boss,” Ray chirped. He leaned over and rubbed Amay’s shoulder. “G’night, Peach.”

“See you in the morning,” Vicky said, and shoved him out of the room.

“G’night guys,” Amay murmered, snuggling even closer to her husband. “Thankyou for staying with me,” she whispered to him.

“And where else would I be?” he asked, tightening his arm around her. “There is nowhere else I want to be, just here with you and our girls.”

“Hmm, I don’t think the doctors are happy though,” she replied.

“I could not care less what they think,” he said arrogantly. “I am paying a fortune for what they do, therefore I have a say in what goes on. I am not leaving you and the two little ones here alone.”

“I would have used my health insurance,” she said sleepily, content in his strong arms.

“The one I cancelled about four months ago?” he asked, and her head shot up.

“What did you do that for?” she exclaimed.

“Because you are my wife, and I will take care of you and any care you need,” he told her. “That is my responsibility as your husband, your lover, your soul mate, and the father of your children. It is not up for discussion.”

She sniggered at his attitude. “You are nuts,” she decided, settling her head back against his chest. “And you know something? I love you so much.”

“I love you too, my darling,” he murmered, kissing the top of her head. “Thankyou for being in my life, and for giving me two wonderful, adorable daughters.”

She smiled, her eyes closed in contentment. “I did not accomplish it alone,” she reminded him. “If I remember correctly, you had something to do with them being conceived.”

“And I enjoyed every second of it,” he laughed.

She gently slapped his shoulder. “If you think you and that monster of yours are getting within a hundred miles of me after what I went through, you are _sorely_ mistaken,” she said.

Vibrations rumbled up through his chest as he laughed heartily. “I heard one of the nurses lecturing you on birth control earlier.”

“They sure pick their times,” she said. “The girls were only hours old, and that lot were already preaching about damned pills, injections, coils, and such nonsense.”

“I think you are more fertile soon after delivery, to be honest, sweetheart,” he replied. “And they recommend a year to allow your body to recover.”

“It’s a major miracle I fell pregnant to begin with, remember?” she said. “The chances of it happening again are so low, it’s not even worth thinking about just now.”

“It is something we can talk about over the next day or two,” he said, closing his eyes as he leaned his head back on one of the pillows. “Try to get some rest, my love.”

“Are you sure you don’t want me to take the chair?” she murmered, sounding sleepier by the second. “You’ll still be jet-lagged, babe.”

“No, you shall not,” he said. “You will stay here where I can hold you. Now go to sleep. I will feed the girls when they wake up; they are due a feed in about two hours…if we are lucky.”

“Wake me up,” she mumbled, tipping over into sleep.

He smirked to himself. Like hell.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So the baby girls are here at last. Just a footnote - I'm sticking with Oropherion for their surnames. I know that according to Tolkein's text "ion" means son, but seeing as this is a modern AU story I'm running with tradition and giving the girls' their father's name x


	50. Settling In

** CHAPTER FIFTY **

****

Six weeks passed.

Amaris and Adira settled in at home as though they had been there forever. Legolas flew back from finishing his grandmother’s effects and hovered over both girls like a mother hen, absolutely devoted to his baby sisters. He and Vicky grew closer and closer, and life settled into a smooth routine in the Oropherion household.

Sophie visited most days, showering the girls with gifts galore, as did Ray, although the pair cleverly worked it so they weren’t there at the same time. His hostility had come back to the fore again, and Amay suspected it was partly down to the fact that neither she nor Thranduil were at work to act as a buffer between them.

Thranduil eventually put a stop to such frequent visits from both of them, seeing his wife exhausted after each one and having little to no time to herself. Legolas and himself waited on her hand and foot when she let them, and Vicky helped out too when she was allowed the chance, but he was still concerned over how tired she was. Being anaemic after delivering the babies, the doctors had put her on ferrous sulphate to boost her iron levels.

All in all, things were going well.

Until the day the washing machine decided to spew water in every direction.

“Goddammit!” Amay roared, wading through the water which spilled out over the basement floor.

Legolas laughed, hurriedly trying to switch the almost-full bucket for an empty one. “It’s only water, Amay,” he chuckled.

She planted both hands on her hips, scowling at him. “Only water? Yes, but we’re not in need of the stuff all over the bloody floor,” she said crossly. “You know this is your fault, don’t you?”

“Huh?” His eyebrows shot up so fast, it was hilarious.

“Well I can’t exactly blame myself, so it has to be your fault,” she reasoned pointlessly. Lifting one drenched foot, she shook her head as she inspected it. “Thank God I wore my old sneakers. These are dead.”

“This is not my fault,” he told her. “More likely yours – machinery just happens to break down or blow up whenever you’re around.”

“That’s ‘cos of my electrifying personality,” she quipped, checking the hoses were securely fixed into the back of the machine.

“Ha! In your dreams,” he laughed, scooping a double handful of water and throwing it over her.

She squealed, leaping back. “OhmaGod you shit!” She grabbed the full bucket and tossed it over him.

Only he ducked, and it soaked Thranduil, who had appeared behind his son.

“Oh fuck!” she yelled, dropping the bucket. “Oh my God babe, I didn’t mean that…” she gasped. “Oh nooooooooooooo!”

She screamed and shot out of the door, slamming it at her back. She could hear Legolas howling with laughter, and Thranduil’s exclamation of surprise, and burst out laughing as she ran like hell back upstairs and through the house. His footsteps could be heard pounding after her as he chased her, and having a much longer stride, he was gaining on her rapidly.

She screamed with laughter as she tore into the kitchen, scaring the life out of Vicky who was washing the girls’ feeding bottles, both of them asleep in their carry-cots next to her. Poor Vicky almost jumped out of her skin as her boss fired through the workspace.

“Stop him, Vicky!” Amay hollered, bolting past her. “Slow him down!”

She gazed in open-mouthed astonishment as she jumped out through the open patio doors, crashed to a heap in the flowerbeds, picked herself up and took off at speed. Thranduil flew into the kitchen, and took off after her. She ran round the side of the house, roaring and laughing hysterically.

“Thranduil, I’m sorry!” she screamed in between laughing. She veered a sharp left and took off through the trees. “I didn’t know you were there – aaaaaaaaaaaarghhh..!”

A high-pitched scream tore itself from her throat as he closed the distance between them and rugby-tackled her, the two of them crashing down into a heap on the grass in amongst the hedges and bushes at the base of the trees. They rolled over, a bundle of kicking legs, squirming bodies and flailing arms as she struggled to free herself.

Thranduil being much stronger, soon had her pinned onto her back with her hands held to the grass on either side of her head, sitting astride her. She tried to throw him off, tears of laughter streaming down her face as she gasped and panted to breathe, but he was far too heavy and strong to move.

“I appear to be soaking wet,” he informed her, holding fast against her struggling. His shirt was soaked, and water dripped off the ends of his hair. “And it appears to be your fault.”

His ice blue eyes held hers as her laughter slowly faded, her gaze caught in his. Her pulse quickened as she glanced at his full mouth, which seemed to be begging to be kissed. She inhaled sharply as his tongue slid out across his bottom lip, and her nostrils flared with desire as she looked back up to his eyes. His pupils seemed to dilate as she watched, and she sunk her teeth into her lower lip as her heartbeat thudded harder.

Her eyelids fluttered closed as he lowered his head and pressed his warm mouth against hers, dragging a deep sigh from the depths of her soul. She twisted her head to deepen the kiss, feeling her bones melt as his tongue pushed past her lips and swept around her mouth. His hands released their grip and slowly trailed down her arms, brushing the sides of her breasts as they caressed down her sides, sliding around her waist and up underneath. A cool shower of rain hissed down, quickly soaking the two of them as they got lost in each other, touching and caressing one another. Her hands gripped fistfuls of his shirt at his back, desperate to have him even closer than he already was, half lying on top of her.

“Mmm, I need you, babe,” she murmered, tilting her head back as his lips blazed a trail of fire down her neck. “Oh God…I need you so bad…” Her hips moved under his in silent response to what he was making her feel.

“Soon, my darling, soon,” he whispered, slowly kissing his way back up, his soft, warm lips teasing her as he lightly kissed and licked hers. “But not here.”

She groaned in frustration and disappointment, pushing against his shoulders. “Dammit…why d’you have to get me so hot and bothered?” she grumbled, as he sat up and pulled her into a sitting position. He stayed sitting astride her, but pulled her up and tucked her against his chest, wrapping his arms around her. He closed his eyes, kissing the top of her head.

“I love you, Amethyst,” he said softly.

“I love you too,” she said, looking up at him. A sigh of pleasure left her as his mouth brushed hers again, a gentle promise of erotic things ahead.

He gradually pulled back, lifting himself to his feet and pulling her up.

“I’m absolutely filthy,” she said, brushing loose soil and leaves from herself. “I need a shower.”

“As do I,” he replied, twisting his fingers through hers as they walked back over the soggy grass towards the house. “And dry clothing.”

She grinned impishly. “Shower with me?” she suggested hopefully.

“No,” he replied.

Her mouth opened in astonishment, and he stopped, turning to face her, placing the tip of his index finger under her chin.

“When we make love, it will be the first time since the babies were born,” he said softly. “I intend to make it an occasion to remember, not just a quick fuck in the shower. Do not think that I do not hunger for you, my love, because I do, more than you can imagine. But it is going to be special, and you are going to remember it forever.” A soft butterfly kiss finalised his words.

A thousand images filled her mind, of the two of them in the shower, her backed up against the tiled wall as he fucked her hard under the spray. She bit her lip, fighting the arousal that shot through her.

“Trust me sweetheart, it’s going to be special,” he promised.

She nodded, a little disappointed.

“Like I said, do not think I do not burn with the need to take you,” he whispered huskily. “And do not think I have not noticed your attempts at trying to catch my attention…coming out of the shower naked, stripping off slowly in front of me, bending down with your voluptuous backside presented solely for my viewing…I notice everything.”

She grinned, knowing he was right. “I’m just desperate to be with you again,” she murmered, lifting her mouth to his. “It feels like such a long time since we made love.”

“I know, my darling,” he said as he tucked her damp hair behind her ears. “But I wanted to make sure everything was exactly as it should be at your six-week check-up. I will take no chances with your health and well-being.”

She nodded, sliding her arms around his waist and snuggling against his chest. “I love you so much,” she murmered into his shirt.

“I love you too,” he replied. “Come on, we will go inside and get cleaned up. I am taking you out tonight.”

Her head shot up in surprise. “You are? What about the girls?”

He smirked, taking her hand once more and leading her inside. “Legolas and Vicky are more than capable of looking after them for a couple of hours,” he told her. “We will both have our phones with us, and we won’t be too far away that we can’t be back home quickly if needed.”

“Where are we going?” she asked, curious.

“It’s a surprise,” he replied, with a grin.

She grunted. “How am I supposed to know what to wear if you won’t tell me?” she demanded.

“Allow me to pick something for you,” he suggested, and she shrugged and nodded in agreement. He turned as Vicky yelled out from the open doorway that Bard was on the phone. “I won’t be long,” he said, dropping a light kiss on her mouth.

She sighed to herself as she went into the house, wondering what he had planned for them later that evening. Grabbing Vicky, she hauled her out of earshot to pry for information.

“Sorry Amay, I know nothing,” she said apologetically. “All I know is Leggy said we’re babysitting the girls for a while tonight, so I brought over a bunch of DVDs and some eats. I know nothing else.”

“Christ, it’s like pulling teeth,” Amay grunted in frustration.

“All I know is he wants to spoil you,” Vicky told her with a smile. “I have the feeling the girls are sleeping in with us tonight…if you know what I mean.” She winked.

Amay’s eyebrows rose. So he was planning a night of passion..? She grinned, turning away and bumping into Legolas, who was carrying a basket of freshly-laundered baby clothes.

“Where’s your dad taking me tonight?” she whispered, trying to get more information.

“I do not know, and if I did, I still wouldn’t tell you,” he whispered back, a mischievous gleam in his eyes.

She glared at him, grabbing the edge of the basket and tugging it towards her. “Tell me,” she growled.

“Nope,” he said, pulling back. “Let go.”

“No! Tell me what you know,” she demanded.

“I’m telling you nothing!” he hissed, tugging hard. “Will you let go?!”

She released her hold as he bared his teeth and snarled like a dog, and he staggered backwards and landed on his backside, the laundry going up in the air and scattering all over the floor. And him.

“What are you two destroying now?” Thranduil asked, assessing the situation as he appeared at his wife’s back. She was leaning against the wall, helpless with laughter. His son was sprawled out on the carpet, adorned with cute pink baby garments hanging from his person. “I shall not even ask; I have the feeling I do not want to know anyway,” he muttered, turning away with a shake of his head. “I thought you were going for a shower?” he asked Amay.

“I am,” she told him.

“Fuck,” Legolas spat, fighting to rid himself of the baby laundry.

They ignored him.

“Then go,” Thranduil prompted.

“Are you sure you don’t want to join me?” she teased with a grin, backing away towards the stairs.

He shook his head. “I’m perfectly sure.”

She gazed at him for a moment, pissed off at his refusal of what she was laying out in front of him. The faintest smirk hovered around the corners of his mouth. He knew she was losing patience. Eventually she turned away with a shrug, and went upstairs.

“Have you picked me something to wear yet?” she called down as she neared the top.

“I am working on it,” he replied. “Legolas, get up off the floor. I fathered a son, not a carpet.”

His son’s muttered curses drifted up the stairs, making Amay laugh as she went into the master bedroom.

After a shower and washing her hair, she wrapped herself in a peach bath towel and blow-dried her hair, making an exception as she wanted to straighten it. Partway through her battle with the GHDs, Thranduil came in at her back.

“Let me,” he said, his velvet tone awakening goose-bumps all over her. He took the straighteners and worked on the back of her hair, then smoothed glossing serum through the long tresses. “Gorgeous,” he murmered, half to himself.

She turned to him, touching her lips to his. “Thankyou,” she smiled.

“You’re welcome,” he replied. “Now out – I am going to shower.”

One eyebrow lifted, and he laughed.

“I shall lock the door,” he told her, lightly slapping her backside as she turned away in disgust and went through to the bedroom.

A soft _ooo_ sounded from her as the lock clicked behind her and she caught sight of the clothing he’d laid out for her on the bed. A short, floaty black skirt and a sleeveless top covered in electric blue sequins awaited her, and she smiled as she lifted them. “Sexy,” she murmered to herself. A soft wrap in baby blue transparent fabric lay to one side. “Two can play at this game,” she muttered.

Shrugging the towel off and tossing it over a chair, she quickly dressed, and was applying her makeup by the time he came out of the shower. Her eyes caught his in the mirror, her heartbeat going crazy. A towel hung low on his hips, revealing a flat stomach, a toned, muscled chest, and strong arms. She swallowed, drawing her eyes back to her own reflection as she swept eyeshadow over her eyelids.

Behind her, Thranduil smirked, and got dressed, but said nothing.

*****

Amay had a wonderful evening.

Thranduil took her to see a movie, then on to a restaurant which must have cost him the earth just for a glass of wine. She’d never been there before, and was horrified when she scanned the menu and noticed the prices. He had immediately curled one finger over the top of her menu and pulled it forwards, glaring at her over it. Reminding her of his intention to spoil her beyond financial measure, he instructed her to pick what she wanted and ignore the ridiculous figures next to each item. She’d started to mildly protest, but one arched eyebrow soon silenced her.

He studied her discreetly as she ate, mesmerised by her. Her skin gleamed, her eyes sparkled, and the lights picked out shimmering hints of electric blue in her jet black hair. She seemed happy and contented, and that in turn pleased him. He felt she’d been through far too much turmoil in the time they’d been together; their heart-breaking separation, Sam passing away, moving house, being apart for three months, the pregnancy, her devious mother, her ex partner, and basically life in general.

Her inner strength showed through though, and she seemed to adjust and adapt accordingly, showing a backbone of stronger steel than she was aware of.

“Penny for your thoughts,” she smiled, setting her wine down as she gazed at him.

He smiled. “I was just thinking how strong you are,” he told her. “We have been through a lot, my love; particularly you.”

She shrugged. “You take what you can out of life, and throw away what you can’t utilise,” she reasoned. “I remember coming back from my holiday, going into the club, and seeing you sitting talking with Sam. I was dumbstruck.”

He laughed. “You only saw the back of me at that point,” he reminded her.

“That was all I needed to see,” she replied. “Time seemed to stop, it was weird. Maybe my inner self knew something major was about to happen in my life.”

“And then Sam did his Cupid thing,” he said with a smirk. “He knew what he was doing, mischievous sod that he was.”

“Yeah…he did,” she said, twirling the stem of her glass between her fingers. “Any regrets?”

“Good God no,” he said immediately. “I have the most gorgeous wife in the world, two amazing baby daughters, and a beautiful home. What is there to regret?”

She shrugged. “It hasn’t been easy,” she said softly, meeting his thoughtful eyes.

“No, and some things are not supposed to be easy,” he said philosophically. “If something just falls into your lap and requires no effort to attain it, then maybe it is not worth the merit you give it on first glance. Some things need to be worked at.”

A gentle smile curved her lips, and she took another sip of her wine. “I hope the girls are alright,” she murmered. “Much though I’m enjoying normal time again, I miss them.”

“As you should,” he replied. “Do not worry, Legolas has been texting every hour with updates. Both angels have had a feed and are fast asleep.”

“I would never have guessed a year ago that we’d be here, right now, like this,” she whispered. “I can’t describe how happy and contented I am.”

He reached over and wrapped his warm hand over hers. “Me neither,” he said. “And it can only get better. Trust me.”


	51. Amethyst's Self-Doubts

** CHAPTER FIFTY ONE **

****

Thranduil’s arm felt warm and snug around Amay’s waist as they wandered across the driveway to the house. As they reached the door, she stopped and turned to him.

“I’ve really enjoyed tonight,” she said, gazing up at him. “Thankyou.”

“You are welcome,” he answered, lightly ghosting his lips over hers. “Let’s go in and check on the babies…make sure Legolas isn’t bald with stress.”

She laughed, the heat from his large hand burning through the fabric of her top as he placed it against her waist and ushered her inside. They quietly went upstairs, checking that both girls were asleep. Legolas and Vicky were asleep too, snuggled up together.

Thranduil guided her out of the room and closed the door. “They will be fine until the morning,” he said quietly. “There is no need to wake them if they are settled.”

“True,” she replied, opening the door to their own room. “I think that maybe they – oh my God!” she exclaimed, halting in the doorway.

The carpet before her was covered with flower petals, as was the huge bed. Tiny electronic candles flickered and winked, casting a soft, dim glow in the darkness.

Behind her, Thranduil rested his chin on her shoulder. “The evening does not stop here,” he whispered in her ear. “The night is yet young.”

She slowly turned to him, the flickering lights reflecting the lust and passion in his eyes. Her heart thumped out of rhythm as her body responded, an instant damp feeling between her thighs. He gazed down at her, the deep blue pulling him into a whirlpool of emotions. He had missed the intimacy, even though he had deliberately avoided giving in to her enticing attempts at seducing him.

Sliding her hands up his chest, she gripped the fabric of his shirt and tugged him inside the room, kicking the door closed at his back. Hungry mouths crashed together, murmers and gasps of lust filling the air around them. Desperate hands caressed and fumbled, garments pulled off and tossed carelessly aside. Stepping out of her heels, she purred with pleasure as his mouth wandered down her neck, his hands pressing tightly against the small of her back. His chest heaved against hers, passion deepening his breathing as he fought to control the desire blazing through his body.

His hands slowly rose up her back, taking the fabric of her top with them, and they broke their kiss to remove the offending garment. He sucked his breath in through his teeth as his gaze lowered to the red bra he’d bought her when they’d been in London, his erection throbbing painfully; he knew she was wearing the matching thong under her shirt.

“Mischievous,” he whispered huskily, his mouth passing softly over hers. Her lips parted in response, a silent invitation for him to enter.

He did, his tongue twisting and turning with hers as she trailed her hands up and down his strong biceps. His hands drifted down her legs, his fingertips dragging lightly back upwards under the hem of her skirt.

He froze, tearing his mouth from hers. “Good God woman, you are going to kill me,” he rasped breathlessly, as his hands found exposed flesh.

She smiled, knowing he’d assumed she’d worn pantyhose rather than hold-ups. “You like?” she teased.

His mouth crushed hers in reply, a deep groan rumbling up through his chest as he backed her towards the bed, the two of them tumbling down onto the soft surface. Flower petals floated up and around them, raining down softly onto bared flesh. He frantically pulled the skirt down, almost ripping the cloth in the process and making her giggle quietly. Hurried hands swept the length of her body, dressed only in the enticing red underwear and hold-ups.

A quick roll and she was sitting astride him, her bra vanishing in a heartbeat and her breasts pushing into his warm hands. Her nipples reacted, hardening into his touch, and she whimpered into his mouth at the sudden pang of longing that tore sharply down in between her legs. He lifted his hips against her, his hardness rubbing erotically against the soft material of her thong, and before she knew it, he’d released her breasts and torn the bows on her hips, baring her to him.

“I promised you this would be something to remember,” he gasped, licking his way down her neck towards her shoulder. “But I may not be able to fulfil that promise, my darling…you are a raging hot fire and you are consuming my soul…” He broke off, taking one nipple in his mouth and sucking rhythmically.

She arched towards him, her hands gripping his long hair to hold him in place. Her hips rocked against his, the burning ache becoming too much to bear. She needed him, inside her.

Lifting her weight slightly, she tugged at his underwear, freeing the treasure that awaited her. He didn’t have time to react as she gripped him and lowered herself onto him, a deep sigh leaving her as he filled and stretched her.

“Fuck…” he hissed, his fingers digging into the soft flesh of her hips. “I have not pleasured you in the way I wish to-“

She cut him off by dragging his head upwards and covering his mouth with her own, her tongue demanding entrance and finding it. Rocking hard against him, her hips rotated each time she lowered herself, grunts of desire coming from him every time. He gripped her harder and rolled her over again, giving him dominant position.

He tore his mouth from hers, panting hard as he thrust deep inside her, the hot wetness intoxicating him. Each thrust was welcomed and received with one of her own, her legs flipping over his back and locking at the hollow of his back.

“Fuck me harder, baby,” she whispered as she sucked hard on the soft flesh below his left ear. “Give me everything.”

The room spun around him as he pounded deeper and harder, his thighs drenched with her arousal, his fists bunched in the bedcover below them. Her mouth kissed further down his neck, until sharp teeth bit his shoulder and he jerked in pleasure. His arms tightened around her and he kissed her again, the hunger in his mouth taking her breath away.

She moaned and gasped into his kiss. They were almost devouring each other, desperate in their need to take and give in their lust. The bed creaked with the force of his thrusts, a musical rhythm that matched his hips driving into hers.

“Make me come,” she pleaded as her hands swept down his sides and squeezed his buttocks. “I want to come, baby…make me come…”

Without missing a single stroke, one hand reached down and gripped her thigh, lifting it higher and deepening his penetration. Her cries rose in pitch and her body began to tremble.

He pulled back just an inch, gazing into her eyes as he fucked her harder. “I want to see you come,” he whispered.

“Come with me,” she pleaded, digging her nails into the soft mounds of flesh.

His grip on her thigh tightened and she squirmed, her orgasm rushing at her with the speed of an express train. Arching her back, her whole body tensed then exploded, his mouth covering hers to silence her cries as she writhed and twisted under him.

Seconds later his body jerked violently as he erupted in her depths, his hot liquid spurting deep inside her. He drove his hips forwards, holding his position as he spurted long and hard, his breath coming in hot gasps. The energy drained from him and he collapsed onto her, his chest heaving. Rolling over, he stayed inside her as he took her with him, and she panted against his neck. Soft flower petals clung to both of them, the sweat making them stick to their skin.

A soft ripple of laughter drifted past his ears as she started to pick them off one by one. Petal by petal, they floated to a small pile behind him.

“I think we may have given ourselves a major task,” he mumbled, his face buried in her hair. “The petals seemed like a romantic idea at the time; now I am not so sure.”

She stilled in her task, placing her palm against his cheek as he lifted his head. “I love you so much, Thranduil,” she whispered.

“I love you even more, Amethyst,” he whispered back, his mouth millimetres from hers. “And I always will. You are so special to me, and I’m sorry I did not last long enough to make-“

She tugged him to her, closing her lips over his and silencing his apology. “This was all I could ever have dreamed of, and more,” she whispered against his mouth. “I feel like the most cherished woman on this earth, and that’s down to you.”

“You’re my Queen,” he replied, and rubbed his full mouth over hers once more. Pulling back a little, he frowned as he picked several petals from her tussled hair. “Perhaps we should shower,” he murmered.

She laughed, and tightened her wrists around his neck. “I’ll shower if you shower with me,” she bargained. “Right now I don’t want to be parted from you.”

“Nor I you,” he replied, kissing her again.

The shower never did happen that night.

*****

Sophie pulled her mouth in as she lifted her coffee cup. “Sounds like a good night was had by all,” she commented. “A movie and _that_ restaurant? Fuck Amay…you must be giving him amazing blow jobs, that’s all I can say.”

Amay didn’t answer. Although she was close to Sophie, she refused to share details of her sex life with her. Her friend had an uncontrollable habit of making even the most romantic gestures sound perverted and lecherous. “What can I say? He’s a romantic,” she said after some thought. “And it’s nice to get out and have someone else cook for a change.”

“I thought he cooked for you?” Sophie frowned.

“He does, and I cook for him,” she replied, drinking her own coffee. Her head turned as Adira fussed, and she crossed over to lift her into her arms. “But that’s what I mean; sometimes it’s nice to have a third person cooking so we can both relax.”

Sophie nodded. “Make the most of it,” she advised. “As the girls get bigger, free time will probably become non-existent.”

Amay grinned. “I can imagine these two hurtling around like tiny tornados,” she said as she picked up a bottle to feed her youngest.

“You’ll have plenty of exercise running around after them,” her friend stated. “And you won’t be long in losing that baby bump you still have. Personally, I’d have joined a gym and worked on getting shot of it by now. Hey – did I tell you Ray’s met some guy?”

Amay shook her head, pretending not to be affected by her words. “No. Who is it?”

Sophie grunted. “Urghh. He met him in the club, and they’re pretty much joined at the hip these last couple of days,” she said.

“He needs someone stable in his life,” Amay said. She glanced at Adira before looking back at Sophie. “He’s been alone too long now. Somebody solid would help him grow up a bit, I think.”

Sophie rolled her eyes. “He’s a bit on the plump side, just like our Ray,” she said. “Can you imagine the stretch-marks? Eww. There’s nothing more likely to turn someone off than stretch-marks.”

Again, Amay fell silent, thinking of her own. Carrying the babies had left a lasting impression, in the shape of a slight podge and light purple marks on her abdomen. “D’you think it’s serious?” she asked, referring to her deputy and his new relationship.

Sophie shrugged. “Who knows? At least he’s off my back for the time being.” She put her cup down after emptying it, and rose to her feet. “Well girl, I gotta head off. I’m going clubbing at The CatHouse tonight, and I need something new to wear.”

“Have fun shopping,” Amay murmered, and her friend winked over her shoulder as she left. Cradling Adira in her arms, she sighed softly to herself as she gazed down at her daughter.

Thranduil unfolded his arms and pushed his weight off the wall he’d been leaning against, padding silently away from the doorway.

*****

Thick eyebrows arched down over ice blue eyes.

Amay wasn’t herself.

Ever since Sophie’s visit, she’d been exercising and working out, but taking it to obsessive levels. Any time Thranduil had searched for her, she was either doing press-ups, sit-ups, stretches, or out running. The only time she eased off was when the babies needed a feed or their diapers changing.

A full week had passed, and he’d had enough.

“Legolas, have you seen Amethyst?” he asked, striding through the house and finding his son engrossed in a video game.

“Not in the last hour or so,” he replied, tearing his gaze away from the screen. “She was going out running again.”

Thranduil scowled. “Did she say where she was headed?” he asked.

“No, but I think she tends to go round by Stockmire and down round the river,” his son replied. “Oh damn..! Dad, you made me get killed!”

His father shook his head impatiently and grabbed his car keys. “I won’t be long,” he said. “Keep an eye on the girls.”

Legolas muttered quietly as he reset the game, and Thranduil left the house with determination in his stride. Damn Sophie and her ridiculous comments.

Throwing the car into gear, he took off and scanned the roads for her as he drove towards where Legolas had mentioned. Miles passed under his wheels as he searched, and he finally caught sight of her in the distance.

She was bent over, her hands on her thighs, catching her breath.

She looked up as the CRV pulled to a halt, and he got out, slamming his door closed.

“Get in the car, Amethyst,” he said, anger in his voice.

“What’s wrong?” she asked, panic in her eyes. “Is it the girls?”

“The girls are fine,” he replied. “Just get in the car.” He opened the passenger door and held it open for her.

Confused, she slid onto the seat, the door slamming behind her. Her eyes followed him as he went around the hood, opening his door and throwing himself onto the driver’s seat. He didn’t speak as he turned the vehicle, and she chewed her lip as she studied his profile.

Eventually he pulled into a parking lot, almost empty as the store had closed at least half an hour previously. Turning the engine off, he undid his seat belt and twisted to face her.

“I know what you are doing,” he said, his tone low and angry.

She frowned in confusion. “What do you mean?”

“I heard Sophie when she was over last week,” he told her. “The little barbed comments? The stretch marks and baby fat remark? I heard it all.”

“I don’t follow,” she said, looking away from him.

He knew he’d hit the nail right on the head. “The comment about how you must be giving me ‘amazing’ blow jobs for me to take you to the restaurant we went to? Do not think I did not put two and two together, Amethyst. You’ve gone down on me four times in the last three days alone.”

She folded her arms across herself in a defensive pose. “I didn’t think you were complaining at the time,” she muttered.

He reached over, taking her hand in his. “I am not,” he said, his tone softer. “I love it when you do it. But I know what is behind it, and your reasoning does not please me. That particular act is supposed to be done through intimacy, through love – not a psychological need to prove yourself to your lover. It is different.”

She didn’t answer, her gaze focused on something outside the car.

“You are taking the whole exercising thing to an obsessive level,” he told her. “It worries me.”

Her head turned and she looked at him. “She was right; I _do_ have a baby bump, and I have stretch marks,” she said.

His free hand lifted and cradled her cheek. “And that baby bump and those stretch marks are to be worn with pride, my love, not worked at feverishly to be erased. They are a testament to the children you birthed, to the love we have between us. They are nothing to be ashamed of.”

She concentrated on her breathing, fighting the urge to cry.

“And I feel like I’m in heaven every time you go down on me,” he said, his tone warm and loving. “But I wish for you to do it because you want to, because you love me, not because of what Sophie said. You have nothing to prove, sweetheart. Not a damned thing.”

She swallowed, frowning as she looked down at her lap. “Maybe I feel I do,” she whispered.

He sighed, leaning his shoulder against the back of the seat. “Maybe having her around is not the right thing for you,” he said. “Two people have warned me about her Amethyst, not one, two. Warnings I have taken on board and observed from a distance. I do not like what I see and hear.”

Amay shook her head. “Ray complained about her, I know that,” she said. “He can’t help himself; he hates her. Who else said something about her?”

“It does not matter,” he answered. “What matters is I see what happens to you, under her influence. Remember before the babies were born, and she sent you photos of clothes she had bought? I came home to find you so upset my love, and it broke my heart. I do not like to see you like that. I do not like how she puts you down and chips away at your confidence.”

She scoffed. “Look at her,” she said. “She’s gorgeous.”

“No she isn’t,” he said, and her head flipped up to look at him. “I think she looks common and cheap.”

“How can you say that? She has an amazing figure, her hair’s always perfect, she has huge boobs-“

“And what does that account for?” he demanded. “She’s never had any children, she spends a fortune having her hair done, and huge breasts mean nothing. As much as we men adore them, they were not designed for us. They were designed to feed children, nothing more. Beauty is not merely skin-deep Amethyst, it is what’s inside that counts.”

“You’ve already admitted all you wanted to do was take me to bed when we first met,” she said.

“Yes, but the attraction was deeper than just looks alone,” he told her. “I felt a connection with you instantly, a pull I could not and still cannot explain. Sophie is hollow – she has nothing inside. She is empty.”

Amay chewed over his words.

“Believe me my darling, I would rather be alone for eternity than be with someone like her, and I know I am not alone with my opinion,” he told her. “Bard spent ten minutes in her company and told me to keep her away from him. Please stop trying to match yourself against her, Amethyst. You did it when she first came on the scene, and you are still doing it. It hurts me, please listen to me.”

She held his gaze, his ice blue eyes pleading with her. Lowering her head, she sighed. “Maybe you’re right,” she admitted. “I’ve always felt second-rate in her company.”

He tipped her head back up. “Do not,” he told her. “You are stations above her, you are so much better than her. I have told you – you are my Queen, and she is a lowly beggar at the gates of the palace.”

She gave a ghost of a smile at his analogy, despite her insecurity.

“I love you,” he whispered. “Come here.”

Pulling her over the console, he wrapped his arms around her and sighed softly. She snuggled against him, absorbing his strength and love, wishing for the confidence she knew she needed.


	52. Back To Work

** CHAPTER FIFTY TWO **

****

Thranduil lay back with his eyes closed, his hand on Amay’s back, his softening erection still buried deep inside her. She lay sprawled on top of him, contented, sated, and half asleep. The babies were sound asleep in their cribs beside the bed, making soft little snuffly noises as they dreamed about whatever babies dream about.

Amay breathed slowly, her breath fanning over his chest, her hand resting against his shoulder. He inhaled deeply, the aroma from her shampoo filling his senses.

In the midst of a passionate kiss and half-undressed, she’d leaned around him and turned the bedroom light off. Without breaking the kiss, he’d reached behind himself and turned it back on again, steering her away from the switch. As they’d rolled around in the throes of passion, she’d ended up on top of him, his hands trailing all over her body as he’d whispered how beautiful she was.

Inhaling deeply, he kissed the top of her head and settled back to sleep, determined to help her build her self-confidence back up.

*****

“You are a hungry little minx, aren’t you?” Amay grinned, Adira’s huge blue eyes blinking up at her as she sucked greedily on her bottle. “I think you have hollow legs, Princess.” Strong little legs kicked in response.

Thranduil entered the lounge, carrying a bottle in his right hand with Amaris cradled in his left arm. Settling back on the couch next to his wife, he smiled as his little bundle began to feed. “I do not know who is the greedier of the two,” he commented, glancing at Adira. “They both seem to have enormous appetites.”

“They’re gaining weight at an awful rate of knots,” Amay agreed. She set the bottle down and lifted her daughter up against her shoulder, gently patting her back. A tiny fist instantly rammed into an equally tiny mouth. “And if I didn’t know better, I would swear this one is teething already.”

“I would not be surprised,” he replied. “Legolas was born with two teeth.”

“What?” she exclaimed in surprise. “Good grief.”

He nodded. “Just the tips of them showing, but they had broken through his gums nevertheless. Babies develop differently, and no two are the same.”

“This is true,” she acknowledged. “Listen, would you mind if I dropped into Indigo’s for an hour later tonight? I just want to show face, see what’s going on in there when we’re not there.”

He gazed at her for a few seconds. “I have no problems with that,” he said. “Are you going to tell Ray?”

She snorted. “No. It’s not that I don’t trust him, I do. But he’d probably slip up and it would be round the place like a bloody disease, and everybody would be all super-efficient and all that crap. No, I’d rather sneak in and just observe quietly.”

“Any particular reason why you want to do this right now?” he asked.

“Not really,” she replied. “I’ve been waiting until I felt I wanted to go back in. The girls are sleeping through the night, so I won’t feel bad about being away from them for a short time.”

“Do you wish for me to come with you? Legolas would stay with the girls, I’m sure,” he offered.

Adira let out a burp that echoed around the room, making Amay laugh. “No, it’s alright,” she said. “Leggy needs time with Vicky; he’s been great minding the babies for us back and forth.”

Thranduil smiled. “He’s definitely as devoted as I imagined he would be.”

“You raised him well,” she said softly, meeting his ice blue eyes. “He’s a credit to you.”

“As our daughters will be with us,” he replied. He set the bottle down and sat Amaris up in a sitting position on his thigh, holding her little head up with his large hand. Gently tapping her back, a loud burp soon erupted, and both parents laughed.

“Are we sick in the head for finding that so comical?” Amay asked as she tipped her bottle back into Adira’s open mouth.

“No, I think every parent laughs at least a few dozen times before the novelty wears off,” he replied.

Legolas appeared and vaulted over the back of one of the armchairs, landing in an undignified heap on the soft cushions. “Hiya, my gorgeous little ladies,” he grinned at his sisters. “Are you both hungry again?!”

“They’re always hungry,” Amay replied with a smile.

“Much like someone else I know,” Thranduil said dryly. “What have you been doing with yourself all day? Anything useful?”

“Uh…I completed the sixth level on my game,” his son answered. “Can I borrow the car tonight?”

Thranduil’s eyebrows came down. “Why?”

Legolas made a face. “I want to take Vicky out as it’s her night off,” he said. “Somewhere special.”

“No hunky-bunky in that car,” Amay said, drawing him a look. “That space is sacred.”

“You mean you…” He trailed off as his father shot him a dirty look.

“No, we haven’t,” she replied.

“Not that it is any of your concern,” Thranduil said. “And do not ask Amethyst questions like that. Show her some respect.”

“Sorry,” he mumbled.

“It’s alright,” she told him. “You can borrow the car, but I want you to drop me off at Indigo’s around nine o’clock, ok?”

He nodded. “Not a problem,” he agreed. “Aren’t you going, dad?”

“No, I will be here with the girls,” Thranduil replied. He frowned. “How will you get home, sweetheart?”

“Jump in a cab,” she answered. “It’s no biggy. I’ll be back by ten, half ten.”

He pursed his mouth, not happy with her being out alone, but he knew she had to have freedom, and he would suffocate her if he voiced his concern to keep her at home.

Legolas dropped her off just before nine o’clock that night, and she let herself into the club through the back loading bay. Loud music instantly greeted her, the thumping base flooding through her and making her smile. It seemed like an eternity since she’d absorbed the energy that could only be found in Indigo’s.

She wandered around the building, undetected. The sections closed off from the public were empty, and she was satisfied her staff were out on the floor where they were needed, and where they were supposed to be.

Until she went up the back stairs and into the main office.

Dan was inside, pounding into a half-naked female, his jeans down at his knees. The woman was bent over the desk, and neither had heard her over the noise they were making.

Amay folded her arms, shaking her head. Not in her office.

Switching the light off and back on again to catch their attention, anger radiated from her. The couple jumped apart, and she was treated to a view she really didn’t want to see. She closed her eyes in disgust, turning away and leaving the office, waiting in the hallway while they made themselves decent.

“Hi, Amay…” Dan spluttered, tugging his clothing back into place as he shot out after her. “I didn’t-“

“I know you didn’t,” she interrupted. “Get your stuff, get your slut, and get your arse out of my club.”

He stared at her in horror. “But-“

“Just get out,” she shouted. “Now.” She turned away and stormed down the stairs onto the main floor, spitting fire. Grabbing Ray from behind, she hauled him through to the staff quarters, slamming the door behind her.

“Amay, what’s-“ he started.

“Don’t give me any bullshit!” she hissed. “Do you know where all your staff are right now?”

“On the floor, except Dan and Gary. They’re on their break,” he said. “Why? What’s happened?”

She glared at him. “I just went into my office to find Dan fucking some tart on my goddamned desk!” she yelled. “Do I need to lock the office when I’m not here? Or do I need to be here every second of the day and night?”

He genuinely looked crestfallen. “I’m sorry Peach,” he said, shaking his head. “I thought he was through here.”

“With a customer?!”

“No, no,” he hurriedly replied. “I didn’t know he was with any customer, honestly.”

Narrowing her eyes, she stared at him for a few moments, watching him literally wilt under her glare. “Fine,” she snapped. “I’m going to do the rounds, make sure nothing else is happening that shouldn’t be. Don’t expect that filthy scumbag back; I fired him.”

He nodded. “I don’t blame you,” he said. “I’d have flipped if I’d found him doing that. There’s no excuse.”

“No. There isn’t,” she said, and turned on her heel. She went around the club checking out everything, several of her staff expressing surprise to see her there. She didn’t say much, but eventually shrugged out of her hooded top and tossed it through in the office, making a mental note as she did so to return in the morning with a shedload of bleach.

“Are you staying for the rest of the shift?” Ray asked, appearing at her side as she went back onto the main floor.

“I don’t have a choice; you’re one down now,” she answered, still angry. “Shit…I need to text home. Do me a favour and grab me a coffee. I haven’t had one and it’s going to be a longer night than I anticipated.”

He took off at her command, and she quickly typed out a message to Thranduil, briefly explaining that one of the staff had to go home and she was covering so they weren’t trading short-staffed.

He eventually messaged back, telling her the girls were settled and to do what she felt she needed to do. Sending a reply telling him she loved him, she pocketed her phone and took a deep breath, pissed off.

***** 

Thranduil was still awake by the time she reached home, lying in bed reading with the girls tucked into bed on either side of him.

Amay stopped in the doorway, her heartstrings tugged in all directions. The scene before her took her breath away, and the love flowing through her was overpowering.

He looked up at her, giving her a smile.

Crossing over to the bed, she leaned over and kissed him deeply, her tension and worries drifting away as his warm, soft mouth caressed hers.

“Is everything alright?” he asked as she pulled back a little.

She shook her head, lowering herself to sit against his legs as she told him what she’d found on her perusal. His eyebrows came down in a heavy frown.

“You did the right thing,” he told her. “I would have fired him also. He took advantage of our absence, and that cannot go unpunished.”

“I know,” she said. “Although truth be told…we have also fucked on that desk…”

He lifted his hand and gently ran it down her cheek. “It is our desk,” he reminded her. “And our club. Not his. He took liberties which cannot be ignored.”

She nodded as she yawned. “Damn, I’m tired,” she said. “I’m going to grab a quilt and crash on the couch.”

“You will not,” he said instantly. “The girls are only in here because you were not. They can go into their cribs now you are home.”

“It’s not fair to disturb them,” she pointed out as she stripped out of her clothing and into a large t-shirt.

He moved, setting his book aside and picking up Amaris. She didn’t stir as he slid out of bed and placed her in her crib, and neither did Adira as he moved her into hers. “See? Now you can come to bed, where you should be,” he told her.

She hesitated as he held the quilt back for her, until he gently pushed her onto the soft, welcoming mattress.

“You will be exhausted,” he said, running his hand down her arm as she settled onto her side. “You’ve been up since the crack of dawn with the girls, and didn’t expect to have to do a shift tonight. You need sleep, my love.”

She murmered in agreement, her eyes already heavy. “I think I ruffled a few feathers turning up tonight,” she said sleepily.

“At least now they are all aware they cannot do as they please without repercussions,” he replied as he slid in and propped his head on one hand as he gazed down at her. Smiling to himself as he saw she was already asleep, he leaned down and gave her a tender kiss. “I love you, my darling,” he whispered.

*****

Amay glared round at the assembled team, her arms folded over her chest. Beside her, Thranduil remained silent, waiting for her to finish.

“It’s not on,” she reiterated angrily. “I don’t know what the _fuck_ is going on here now when we’re not here, and I don’t know who to trust and who not to trust. Somebody in here must’ve known what that disgusting creep was up to.”

Nobody answered.

“Arsing around with customers is bad and bad enough, but in our goddamned office?!” Her eyes flashed fire. “Thanks to Dan and his sordid breaktime habits, I’m going to have to cut short my maternity leave and come back sooner than I anticipated. I hope you’re all happy.” She turned and stormed up the stairs.

Thranduil cast his gaze over the staff. “I’m sorely disappointed, people,” he said, turning and following her.

By the time he reached her, she was seated behind the desk, slamming things down in frustration. “Bunch of fucking degenerates,” she muttered.

“Being fair sweetheart, they’re not all like that,” he reasoned, lowering himself to sit on the opposite side of the desk, which she had bleached and scrubbed as soon as they’d arrived at the club. “Hopefully he was the only one pulling stunts like that.”

“It just stinks, you know?” she ranted. “It’s basic trust, and it’s been broken. Bastard.” She glanced at the babies, who were sleeping peacefully in their car seats placed on the floor next to the desk. “I’d freak out if I ever caught one of our girls in a scenario like what I saw last night. It was disgusting.”

He shook his head, determined to clear it of the horrible image she had described when she’d spoken about it earlier that morning. “Our girls will grow up and undoubtedly have sex lives of their own,” he said. “As did we. But some things a parent does not need to know. And that aspect of their lives is one of those things.”

She snorted. “They’re grounded until they’re forty five.”

His shoulders shook as he tried to contain his laughter.

“What?” she demanded, scowling. “Keep that up, I’ll raise it to fifty five.”

“It is the fact of the broken trust that is annoying you,” he told her. “Sex in itself is healthy and normal…you should know that. We have done everything under the sun and moon to each other, and you cannot deny that.”

“At least my personal grooming habits are up to standard,” she grunted.

He wrinkled his nose. “Rapidly putting me off the discussion of love-making, my darling,” he said decidedly, removing himself from the desk. “I’m going to go and do a quick check on the stock in the basement, and see if anything needs replacing or ordering while we are here. What do you intend to do?”

“Catch up on paperwork,” she replied. She stuck her tongue out, making a face of disgust, and he could see she was still trying to rid herself of what she’d seen the night before.

“Come here,” he said, holding his hands out.

She rose to her feet and circled the desk, going into his arms. He gently kissed her, murmering softly as his mouth caressed hers. It didn’t take long for the kiss to deepen and gain heat, her hands kneading the muscles across his shoulders and his squeezing her buttocks and grinding her against him. Purrs of pleasure left her as he moved his mouth to her ear, licking and biting her as she rocked against his growing arousal.

“See? Not all sex is disgusting,” he whispered. “Admit it…you want me to fuck you…right here, right now…” His hand slid between them and delved into the waistband of her leggings, cupping in between her legs and slowly rubbing her. His clever fingers probed and teased, rubbing her clit and sliding into wet heat. “Tell me you want me…”

His husky whispers sent shivers down her spine, and she arched closer to him as she lifted her leg up around his waist, opening herself to his demanding, probing touch. Her fingers dug into the solid flesh of his biceps as she gripped him, her breathing becoming laboured.

“Oh my God yesssss,” she hissed, tilting her head back. His free arm braced across her back to support her as his mouth wandered across her throat. His hot, wet tongue traced patterns on her skin and roamed down to her shoulder. She gasped as his strong teeth bit into her.

He lifted back with an arrogant smirk, slowly withdrawing his hand and pulling her clothing back into place. One eyebrow lifted at her astonished look. “Not everything is sordid,” he whispered, placing a kiss on her mouth and winking as he turned and left the office.

“Goddammit,” she yelled, grinning at the soft laughter that drifted back to her ears. Shaking her head, she went back and sat down at the desk, grabbing a pile of paperwork towards her and lifting her coffee mug. She glanced at her sleeping daughters. “Your daddy’s a tease,” she told them. “An absolute tease.”

Taking a drink of the almost-cold beverage, she sighed as she put her cup back down and made a conscious effort to focus on what she was supposed to be doing, rather than the surges of lust that spiked through her.


	53. Hiding Secrets

** CHAPTER FIFTY THREE **

****

Amay giggled uncontrollably as she hauled on her side, trying not to laugh too loud and draw attention. Legolas was in a similar state, stopping every few feet and leaning against the wall as he tried in vain to keep quiet.

“We’re going to get caught if you don’t stop making so much noise!” she hissed at him, struggling to realign her position. “Come and give me a hand, dammit.”

The two of them jostled around, getting into position.

“Now!” Legolas roared, throwing himself down face first.

Amay followed suit, crashing onto the soft mattress and screaming as it shot down the stairs with both passengers. They hurtled down rapidly, being bumped as it bounced off each step, and both of them landed in an undignified heap on the floor at the bottom, helpless with laughter.

Right at Thranduil’s feet.

Amay rolled onto her back, tears of hilarity rolling down her cheeks as Legolas rolled into a ball holding his elbow.

Thranduil’s straight face gave nothing away, his ice blue eyes showing no emotion. “I do not even want to know,” he decided eventually, shaking his head and walking away.

“OhmyGod help me up!” she yelled after him, still roaring and laughing. “I’ve broken something!”

He turned, folding his arms as he assessed his wife and her predicament. She was laughing so hard, she wouldn’t be able to stand if her life depended on it. Pursing his full mouth, he raised one eyebrow slightly.

Which just made her and Legolas laugh even more.

He shook his head, unfolding his arms and going back to them, holding a hand out to each of them and pulling them easily to their feet. “Pair of menaces,” he muttered. “God help me when the girls are up on their feet. I’ll end up going mad.”

Legolas snorted as he fought to control himself, while Amay grabbed Thranduil’s thigh as she doubled over in hysterics.

“I expect these kinds of antics from you-“ he pointed at his son. “-but not so much from you.” Amay was indicated by a tilt of his head.

She bit her lip to stop laughing. “It was fun!” she defended herself.

The slightest trace of a smirk flashed briefly before vanishing again, but not too quick that she didn’t see it.

Heaving a deep sigh, he shook his head. “Legolas, take the mattress back upstairs,” he said.

“Yaaas! Let’s see if we can make it come down faster,” his son decided enthusiastically, and Amay grabbed an end.

“Uh-uh,” Thranduil said smoothly, sliding an arm around her waist and pulling her backwards. “I have no idea whose idea it was, nor do I wish to know. I think the less I know in this house, the better for my sanity. Come with me, I am sure I can find better things for you to contend with.”

“Come on babe, try it with me,” she laughed, twisting to look up at him. Sparkling blue eyes met hers, and she knew he’d found their horsing around comical. “You’re heavier, it would go faster.”

Thranduil didn’t reply. He glanced at the mattress, back to her, and lifted one eyebrow.

“Ew – no! Just no!” Legolas balked, making a strenuous effort to haul the offending item back upstairs.

“Spoilsport,” she muttered, but with a smile.

“If I get you on a mattress my love, bobsleighing down a staircase is _not_ what I shall be doing,” he murmered, close to her ear.

Shivers of delight rippled down her back.

“I do not want to know whatever obscenities you two are muttering and whispering about down there!” his son roared from halfway up the staircase. “I live in a house of perverts.”

Amay laughed, turning herself round in Thranduil’s arms and standing up on her toes for a kiss. “I’m going to make a quick coffee…d’you want one?”

“Please,” he replied with a smile. “I’m going into the lounge to do a video call with Bard…any message for him?”

“Yes,” she said immediately. “Tell him his room is finished, and the room for the kids is almost done too, so they can come over anytime.”

He grinned.

“What?” she demanded suspiciously. “What’s that grin all about? What are you up to?”

“I was going to keep it as a surprise, but he’s flying out at the weekend,” he told her, laughing as her eyes lit up. “But not his children. They’re staying with his mother for a week.”

“Oh.” Her face dropped. “Oh well…never mind. It’ll be good to see Bard. He hasn’t met the girls yet.”

“He is looking forward to it,” he told her. “He should be here on Sunday afternoon.”

“Brilliant,” she said with a nod. “Who’s picking him up?”

He laughed, dropping a kiss on her upturned mouth as he turned to go into the lounge. “I haven’t given it any thought,” he replied. “Let him get in the air first.”

“Tell him to hurry up about it,” she quipped.

*****

Amay’s phone beeped to signal an incoming text message, and she frowned as she accessed and scrolled through it.

“Dammit,” she muttered, annoyed. Hauling up from the couch, she padded upstairs to grab her sneakers, then came back down to lift a couple of bottles of baby formula to put into the diaper bag. Once she’d called a cab, she scribbled Thranduil a quick note, then lifted the two girls once she’d settled them comfortably into their car seats, and left the house.

Within the hour, she was growling in exasperation.

“Any luck?” Ray asked, entering the office and putting a mug of coffee on her desk. “Hello, my gorgeous little ladies!” he cooed to the babies. “Oh you two just get cuter and cuter every day, don’t you?”

She dropped her hands onto the desk, frustration creasing her brows. “I swear, these bastards are ignoring their goddamned phones when this number comes up on the display,” she said. “But they’re quick enough to ask for a favour.”

“It’s always been the same, Peach,” Ray said over his shoulder as he squatted down in front of the girls whose seats were placed on the floor. “Oh yes, I can blow bubbles just like that too…”

She rolled her eyes, poking at the numbers on her phone and waiting to be connected. “Bloody answering machines,” she grunted, ending the call. “It looks like I’ll have to cover tonight.”

“Won’t boss go nuts?” he asked, not looking at her as he pulled faces at the babies, who giggled and gurgled in response.

“Suits you,” she commented. “No, he’ll understand. He knows we can’t open under-staffed; health and safety would go apeshit. Fuck sake – I’ve been up since five o’clock this morning.”

“You’d be better off heading home and having a nap,” Ray advised. “Otherwise it’ll be almost a twenty four hour run.”

“Wouldn’t be the first time,” she answered, taking a gulp of her coffee. “More sugar in the next one. I’m sure Thranduil will be ok with the girls, as they’re really settled at night.”

“How did you manage that so fast?” he wondered. The tinkle of a musical teething toy drifted from him as he wiggled it in front of Amaris, who wiggled and kicked. “Anyway, I’m heading off until tonight…will you be alright here by yourself?”

She nodded. “Yes. I have some shit to catch up on, and I’ll lock up. I’ll call a cab in a while, once I make some headway through this lot.” She indicated a pile of paperwork set to the side on the desk. “Take it easy, and I’ll see you tonight.”

“Will do,” he replied, rising to his feet and blowing kisses at the babies as he left the office.

She shook her head to clear it, and dragged the paperwork towards her.

*****

Her eyes flew open, and she jumped a little, realising she’d started to doze off as she sat on the couch feeding Adira. Blinking to bring the office back into focus, she found Thranduil leaning against the desk facing her, arms folded, his legs crossed at the ankles.

“How long have you been here?” she asked through a yawn. “I must have dozed off.”

“Long enough,” he replied. “What are you doing here anyway?”

“Ray sent me a text. Stevie’s off sick tonight, and I came in to go over the rota for cover. I can’t find anybody to come in, so I’m going to do it, if you can watch the girls,” she told him.

Ice blue eyes held hers. “You have not had any sleep since early on this morning,” he said. “You will be unable to keep going until closing.”

She grunted, shifting her position as her back was aching. “I’ll be alright,” she replied.

He moved, crossing over and sitting next to her on the couch. “Give her to me,” he said, holding his arms out for his daughter.

She passed her over, leaning her head on his shoulder as he took over feeding the youngest child. “How come you always smell so good?”

He smirked. “I take personal hygiene very seriously,” he replied.

His voice melted her bones. “So do I, but I never seem to smell this good,” she said. Pulling her feet up underneath her, she settled against his side. “And you’re far too damned comfortable and cuddly.”

He laughed. “I am not sure cuddly was what I was aiming for when I was growing up,” he mused. “Still – as long as it keeps you happy.”

“I’m always happy,” she murmered, her eyes closing again.

Thranduil glanced at her, seeing she was falling asleep. Once he’d finished feeding Adira, he settled her on the couch beside him, packing cushions around her, and put his arm around his wife. “Sleep, my love,” he whispered, softly kissing her hair.

No response.

*****

Amay’s eyes were burning.

The club had settled down, so she took herself from the floor and went up to the office, where she immersed herself in her paperwork. The hours rolled past, and she was looking forward to closing up and going home. Thranduil sent her a text message telling her he would pick her up, which surprised her slightly.

They’d shared a kiss as she’d left for work earlier, but tension brewed below the surface. He had suggested going in to cover the shift, but she’d refused. He wasn’t used to working the floor, and that was primarily where they were short. He could handle the bar, but she didn’t want to dump him in the middle of everything without her being there. He’d argued that she’d been up too long and was tired; she argued that she was used to it and it was her place to ensure the running of the club went smoothly.

He’d eventually backed down and said nothing further on the subject. They hadn’t parted on bad terms, but she knew there was an air of tension lingering.

Her head was pounding. She’d questioned her logic behind covering the shift, as the night had been trouble from the get-go. The clubbers were rowdy, and she’d become more irritated by the minute, spending her night serving drinks, breaking up fights, and clearing up smashed glasses and bottles.

Pushing herself away from the desk, she got up and went down to the main floor to clear away the last of the stragglers so the club could close for the night. Ray stayed with her as she locked the takings away, and by the time they locked up the paking lot held only two vehicles; hers and Ray’s.

She gave him a quick hug and hurried over, climbing in and kissing Thranduil.

“You look exhausted, sweetheart,” he murmered, studying her in the lights from the lot. “You should have stayed home and I would have covered.”

She wrinkled her nose as she fastened her seat belt. “It’s done now,” she told him. “Besides, it was fairly quiet tonight so I made a good start on the work I’d put aside.”

He said nothing, just silently guided the car out onto the road.

“Are the girls alright?” she asked through a yawn.

He smiled. “Yes. Amaris had her first temper tantrum; it’s so hard not to laugh at something so tiny and cute having such a temper.”

“She may look more like you babe, but I have a feeling she’s going to carry my temper,” she replied. “Adira is more calm and settled, like you.”

Streetlights lit up the interior of the car as they drove through the city streets, and she relaxed in her seat as tiredness took over.

Thranduil glanced over at her after a few minutes, frowning a little as he saw she’d fallen asleep, her head resting on the inside of the passenger door. He pulled over and got out, carefully moving her so she was a little more centred, before tilting her seat back slightly. Satisfied that she wouldn’t bump her head on anything, he climbed back in and headed for home.

Once there, he lifted her into his arms and carried her inside and up to bed.

*****

Bard arrived on Sunday and the air was jovial.

He was drawn immediately to the two Oropherion babies, who took to him like ducks to water. Every time he tried to move out of their line of vision, both girls screamed and kicked up until he settled back and they could continue giggling and charming him.

Amay left her husband and his best friend talking about everything from business matters to babies, and pulled another couple of shifts in Indigo’s. Stevie remained off sick, so she stepped in and covered instead of the thankless and futile task of trying to drag someone else in.

Thranduil voiced concerns about her as she was constantly exhausted, but she waved him off. She was getting home just before three o’clock in the mornings, and getting back up after only a few hours’ sleep to deal with the girls, the housework, and everything else that required her attention. The more he tried to intervene, the more she insisted he spend time with Bard.

By the time Thursday arrived, she was stressed.

The club wasn’t overly busy, so she settled herself in the office with a coffee after giving the staff instructions to call her down if needed. Settling into her paperwork, her slowly-worsening headache was gaining strength. Endless supplies of coffee weren’t helping, neither were the over-the-counter pain meds she’d tried. Thinking to herself that she’d take a few days off once she’d finished her workload, she folded her arms on the desk and leaned her head on them for a few minutes to clear her head.

*****

“Amethyst! Amethyst!”

Thranduil’s deep voice slowly permeated through the thick cloud of sleep that cocooned her, and she struggled to open her eyes.

“What time is it?” she asked groggily, lifting her head and squinting against the lights.

“Half past midnight,” he replied, his hand remaining on her shoulder from where he’d shaken her awake.

“Jesus…I should be on the floor,” she said. “How did it get so cold in here?”

“Amethyst, you are coming home right now,” he told her, and she picked up a trace of anger in his tone. “Come on.”

“What are you so angry about?” she asked with a frown. “And I’m not coming home yet; we don’t close for another hour and a half yet.”

He whirled her chair around to face him and leaned his hands on the arms, leaning right down to her. “You are coming home now. This is not up for discussion, do you understand?”

“What’s wrong with you?” she grumbled. “I need a coffee.”

“No. No coffee. You are coming with me.” He took her hand and pulled her from the seat, ignoring her protests. Leading her down the back stairs, he called to Ray and said they were leaving, and held his grip on her hand with determination as he took her out to the car.

She decided it was pointless arguing. Something had pissed him off and she was too tired to get into it in the middle of a parking lot. The drive home was quiet, during which she briefly dozed off again, which didn’t go unnoticed.

“Wake up, Amethyst,” Thranduil said, and she opened her eyes to find him squatting down on the drive next to the car, her door open and the cool breeze chilling her.

Holding his hand out, he helped her out of the vehicle and into the house, where he guided her upstairs.

“Go and have a quick shower, and I will make you something to eat,” he told her.

She didn’t argue.

By the time he went up with some toasted cheese for her, she had showered and was sitting cross-legged in bed gazing at the tv. The girls were sound asleep at her side.

“Eat something,” he told her, setting the plate on top of the quilt, and she grinned in appreciation.

“I didn’t realise I was hungry until I smelled that,” she admitted, taking a huge bite. “Oh this is amazing..!”

He smiled, glancing at the tv over his shoulder. She finished eating, and he removed the plate as she took a drink of the tea he’d made for her.

“I want the truth,” he said, turning back to her, a coldness in his eyes. “What’s going on?”


	54. Deceit

** CHAPTER FIFTY FOUR **

****

Amay blinked in confusion. “What d’you mean?” she asked.

“Do not insult my intelligence,” he said. “I want to know what is going on.”

“I want to know what you’re on about,” she replied.

He leaned towards her slightly, his large presence looming before her. “Do not make the mistake of assuming I am stupid,” he said slowly and calmly. “I know you as well as you know yourself, Amethyst. I know when you are worried about something, and I know when you are keeping something from me. Now I want to know what it is.”

“I’m not,” she said, frowning. “Bloody hell, what’s got into you?”

He leaned back again, folding his arms and staring at her.

She felt uncomfortable under his unflinching scrutiny.

“You took the babies into work last week. You went back that night and covered a shift, despite being worn out,” he reeled off, ticking points off on his fingers as he spoke. “You’ve been going in most nights since. You are not getting enough rest, and you are so distracted you put baby wipes in the fridge this morning. I want the truth.”

She blinked. “I must’ve been thinking about something else at the time,” she said.

“Ray called me in a panic because you were out cold and he couldn’t get you to respond, or to wake up,” he said angrily. “I was going to sit back and see how far you went with this Amethyst, but I have to step in because it’s gone too far already. You fall into bed exhausted and I do not know my wife anymore.”

Her eyes widened.

“I need you,” he said. “The babies need you.”

Momentarily lost for words, she shook her head. “I know I’m a wife and mother, but there are still things I need to do outwith that,” she said eventually. “I didn’t think you would restrict me.”

“I never would, but I will step in and say something when I see you working yourself to the bone and neglecting your own health in the process,” he snapped.

“You’re mad because I fell asleep at work?” she asked, confused.

“No!” he shouted, then remembered the girls were sleeping. “I’m mad because of the time you are putting in, the lack of care for your own needs. Indigo’s is not the be all and end all, yet you have got your teeth into something and are not willing to let go.”

She swung her legs out of bed, her feet hitting the carpet with a dull thud. “What’s to be mad about?” she returned, irritated and tired. “We have an obligation to the club, _I_ have an obligation to it. That’s all there is to it. You’re creating a major drama over something insignificant and unimportant, and I don’t understand why.”

“It’s a nightclub,” he said, his tone angry. “It will survive without you there every hour under the sun.”

“Maybe I don’t think it can,” she shot back. “I work hard, Thranduil – you know that. I give a hundred percent in every damned thing I do, and Indigo’s is no exception. You can’t ever question my work ethics. If I hadn’t gone in to cover, fuck knows what would have happened. It was absolute chaos this week.”

He stepped closer to her, and she could see the flames of blue fire in his eyes. “For once in your fucking life Amethyst, stop being so stubborn and listen to me when I voice a concern,” he ground out. “You are putting in far too many hours, far too much of yourself, and I want you to back off a little.”

She glared at him. “No.”

His eyebrows lifted. “No?”

“You heard me,” she snapped. “No.”

The muscle in his cheek tightened as he clenched his teeth, and she wondered if she’d pushed him too far. But she could not and would not back down.

He leaned down, placing his hands on either side of her on the bed, effectively imprisoning her. Cold, angry eyes glared into hers. “You have no financial worries to contend with. You have a husband and two young children who should be - but aren’t - top priority. That leaves me to think that something is going on. What is it, Amethyst? What are you hiding from me?” His words were spoken quietly and calmly, his tone betraying the fury in his eyes.

“Nothing,” she told him. “Not a damned thing.”

His gaze dropped briefly to the pulse in her neck which was beating rapidly, then back to her eyes again. “Your heartbeat is too fast, your pupils are dilated. Your breathing is uneven. You are lying to me.”

She scoffed, pushing him away and leaping out of the bed. “I don’t know what the hell’s got into you,” she said, exasperated. “Why does there need to be something wrong? Why do I need to be hiding something from you? Do you realise how paranoid that makes you sound?!”

Seconds ticked past, and she knew she’d gone too far. She winced as he pushed past her, his shoulder bumping her as he strode past without a word, slamming the bedroom door closed at his back.

Lowering her head, she swallowed as tears began to burn her eyes.

She was in trouble. She needed help.

But it was going to break her heart to admit it and ask for his help.

*****

Thranduil sat with his back against a tree, finding peace and solace in the pitch darkness that surrounded him like a comfortable blanket. The stars overhead twinkled and sparkled, and his gaze was fixed on the vast beauty as he cleared his mind of all conscious thought. Velvet black sky held the millions of dainty little sparkling diamonds. A soft breeze filtered past, shifting the ends of his hair and soothing his ruffled feathers.

He wished it could soothe his ruffled mind.

He turned his head to his left, not quite looking over his shoulder. “I do not wish to argue, Amethyst,” he said softly.

She appeared at his side, amazed at how he had known she was here. He wouldn’t have seen her behind him in the dark, and her bare feet had made no noise on the soft grass.

Lowering herself down next to him, she sniffed and wiped her face with her sleeve, pulling her knees up in front of her and wrapping her arms around them once she’d placed the baby monitor on the grass.

Ice blue eyes watched her, waiting silently.

“I’m in trouble,” she whispered. “I need your help and I don’t want to ask for it.”

“Why not?” he asked.

She shrugged. “Because I don’t. It’s something I should be able to take care of myself, and I can’t.” Hot tears trickled down her face.

He took a deep breath, reaching over and taking her arm, pulling it until his hand found hers. “You know you can tell me anything,” he said.

“I know,” she whispered, nodding. “But this is bad. You’ll be angry, and it’s my fault.”

“Please tell me you haven’t found someone else,” he pleaded. “Anything but that.”

She shook her head, staring off into the darkness. “No. It’s nothing like that.”

Silence fell over them, broken only by her occasional sniff.

His warm hand held hers tightly as he waited, his heart dreading her next words. “Talk to me,” he urged softly. “I love you unconditionally, Amethyst. Nothing you tell me can ever change that, I promise.”

“I’ve been going over the accounts this past week,” she said after a long pause, her voice still low. “I can’t get them to add up.”

He frowned, confused. “Why would that make me angry?” he asked. “Why did you not ask me to do them?”

She swallowed, finally turning her head and meeting his eyes. “Because there are massive deficits I can’t account for,” she whispered. “Massive.”

He inhaled deeply, looking away. “How massive?”

“Six figures,” she replied, and jerked out of his hold as his head whipped round to face her.

“Amethyst…calm down sweetheart,” he said. “I did not mean to frighten you.” He reached for her hand again. “Are you sure about this?”

She nodded, tears flowing. “Yes,” she gasped. “I’m so sorry.”

He shifted closer and pulled her to lean against his chest as she started to cry harder, his hands rubbing her back as he _sshhh_ ’d to calm and settle her. “There is nothing for you to be upset about, my love,” he told her. “Why are you crying? This is not your fault. I do not understand why you think I would be angry.”

“Because somebody is stealing from you, and I should have seen it before it got to this level,” she sobbed, clutching fistfuls of his soft grey hooded top.

Closing his eyes, he leaned his cheek on the top of her head. “You take things to heart far too much, my darling,” he said quietly. “If you are right, if someone is stealing, then we will find out and deal with it. Do not upset yourself with these things baby, please.”

“I’ve let you down,” she said.

“No you have not, you could never let me down,” he replied. “Listen.” He pulled back, tipping her chin up so she would look at him. The starlight reflected in the tears that fell from her anguished blue eyes. “Tomorrow, I will go over the figures. That is what I do, remember? Maybe there is something you missed, or maybe you are right. Either way, we will fix it, ok? No more tears, no more worrying, and no more keeping things like this to yourself. You are so close to burnout this last week my angel, I can see it so clearly.”

She nodded reluctantly. “I didn’t want to trouble you with this,” she said.

“Amethyst, I am your husband. You can trouble me with anything,” he told her. “Anything at all, no matter how large or small. Please trust me.”

“I do,” she said, fresh tears flowing. “God Thranduil, I swear I do. But I’ve missed this, and I shouldn’t have. And I was scared you would be angry because I’d missed it.”

With a gentle touch, he used his thumb to wipe her tears away. “If I ever get hold of your ex, I am going to tear him limb from limb,” he muttered. “The asshole has caused so much damage.”

Her head lowered slightly, but he tipped it back up again.

“Damage I have the patience and love to fix,” he whispered, touching his warm mouth to hers in a soft kiss. A high-pitched wail ripped out from the baby monitor, making them jump.

“Adira,” they both said at the same time, and smiled at each other.

“Come on, my love,” he said, picking up the monitor with his free hand and rising to his feet, pulling her up with him. “We shall go and sort little madam out, then get some sleep, ok? Stop worrying, my darling…promise me.”

She nodded, and he kissed the top of her head as he slid his arm around her shoulders, pulling her against his side as they walked back over the grass.

*****

Thranduil lifted his glass to his lips, taking a drink of the sweet, cold liquid. The bubbles exploded in his mouth, tingling all the way to the back of his throat. He swished the coke around before swallowing it and setting the glass back down.

“Any luck?” Amay asked quietly, sliding her arms around his stomach from behind and pressing against his back for a hug.

“Good morning, sweetheart, and not yet,” he replied, turning slightly so she had a view of his profile. “I was just having a glance over it, to see if anything jumped out at me.”

She blinked and shook her head, trying to clear it. Being presented with that kind of perfection that early in the day was enough to knock anyone off their stride. “I’ve been over and over it,” she sighed. “It’s got to the stage now where I can’t make head nor tail of any of it anymore. It’s just a mush of messed-up, jumbled numbers.”

“Sometimes you can look too hard for something,” he told her, and pushed the paperwork aside. Turning on the stool, he wrapped both arms around her. “We’re going out for the day.”

Her eyebrows rose in surprise. “We are?”

He nodded, his beautiful smile lighting up his eyes. “Yes. We are. You, me, the girls, Bard, Legolas, and Vicky.”

She tilted her head to one side as she gazed at him, wondering what he was planning. “Where are we going?” she asked, her hands clasped behind his neck.

He inhaled deeply, seeming to be contemplating his options. “I quite fancy a picnic up in the forest,” he said after a few moments’ thought. “Lying on a blanket under the trees, snuggled up together. The kids having fun out in the fresh air.”

“That sounds like heaven,” she said with a smile, the idea growing on her. “I need to have a quick shower, then get the girls ready. How long do I have?”

“Go and have a shower, I will make breakfast while you are doing that, and I shall help you with the girls,” he said. “Do not rush; we have all day.”

“Alright,” she agreed, stealing a quick kiss as she left the haven of his embrace.

He watched her go, bouncing up the stairs to the upper level of the house. His head ached with all the figures he’d been studying, having done more than have the quick glance he’d told her about. He’d been down in the kitchen for almost an hour, his expert eye and sharp mind cutting sharp paths through the forest of figures and numbers.

Taking a deep breath, he slid off the stool, other things on his mind. Lifting his glass, he crossed the kitchen to prepare breakfast and fix a picnic while he was there.

Within a few hours, they were trekking up through the forest, with Amay and Thranduil each carrying a car seat containing a precious bundle, and Legolas and Bard carrying the hamper.

“It’s absolutely gorgeous today,” Amay commented, side-stepping a patch of bluebells. Thranduil’s arm lifted so they didn’t break contact. “We couldn’t have asked for better weather than this.”

“I’m going to be as brown as a berry by the time the day’s over,” Vicky replied. “I used that tanning mousse, and if you expose to sunlight it makes it go even darker.”

Amay laughed. “Just smile in the dark, so we can find you,” she joked.

“How about over there?” Thranduil suggested, nodding to a small clearing just up ahead. “There’s plenty of sunlight and shade, so the girls can get protection.”

“Looks ideal to me,” Bard said, behind them. “Legolas, just how much water did you pack in this thing?!”

“Just a couple of bottles,” he defended himself. “The olds up there need hydrating from time to time.”

“Hey you, we’re not old!” Amay called over her shoulder. “You’ll get to this age one day…if you’re lucky.”

“Dinosaurs,” he muttered under his breath.

“I heard that, my son,” Thranduil laughed, the breeze lifting the comment and carrying it to his sharp ears. “Remember with age comes wisdom.”

“And grey hair,” his son quipped.

Amay gasped. “Your father does not have one single grey hair!” She heard him mutter something to Bard, and the two of them snorted with laughter. “I give up with you two,” she muttered.

They came to a halt, placing the car seats carefully on the ground under the shade of a massive oak tree. The next few hours were spent eating, talking, horsing around, and generally relaxing and enjoying their day.

Sometime during the afternoon, Amay awoke from a light slumber to find herself curled up next to Thranduil on one of the thick blankets they’d brought. Her head rested on his shoulder, his arm under her neck and around her shoulders. She shifted slightly, aware that he was sleeping by the steady rate of his breathing. Tilting her head slightly, she looked up at total perfection.

Thick eyelashes gently tickled his cheeks as his eyes were closed. His straight nose accentuated on either side by cheekbones that a Greek God would be envious of, and a soft, kissable mouth that made her insides quiver and her bones melt. His hair was draped over his shoulders, falling softly over his chest.

She wasn’t sure how long she lay there staring at him, only aware that both the babies lay curled up asleep next to Vicky, who was reading while keeping a watchful eye on them. Legolas had dozed off, and Bard was texting his children.

Ice blue eyes opened and stared straight at her, sending a shiver through her central nervous system.

“I know when I am being watched,” he murmered, his voice thick with sleep. “I always know.”

She smiled, loving the moment of relaxing in his arms in the summer air, her children nearby. Sliding up on one elbow, she pressed a gentle kiss against his mouth.

“Mmm, another,” he murmered, his eyes closing again.

She complied, giving him little tiny butterfly kisses. She wound her way along his jaw and down his neck, urged on by his soft whimpers and moans of encouragement. Finding her way back to his mouth, she found he was eager for her return, kissing her hungrily. His hands tangled in her hair as he tilted his head, deepening the kiss. The grass they were lying on seemed to spin around in circles as his tongue invaded her mouth, invaded her senses.

Slowly drawing back, he lazily opened his eyes and gazed at her, blinking as he studied her.

Unable to function or form a coherent thought, she returned his gaze, lost in the intense blue eyes that held her prisoner.

With her will, certainly not against it.

She smiled, deeply content with where she was in her life.

“I want you,” he whispered. “I want you now.”

She smiled, twirling the ends of his hair around her index finger. “You’ll have to wait, I’m afraid,” she whispered back.

He frowned and pouted, making her laugh.

Bard glanced over. “Why don’t you two go out tonight?” he suggested.

She shook her head. “We went out when the girls were a few weeks old,” she replied. “Leggy and Vicky minded them.”

He shrugged. “And? He and I will take care of the girls,” he said. “Go on, make the most of it. I’m leaving in two days, and the offer goes with me.”

She glanced at Thranduil, who shrugged one shoulder.

“I wouldn’t say no to taking a beautiful woman out for the evening,” he said, stretching and exposing his lower abdomen as his top rode up.

Amay’s mouth went dry. “Better get your phone book out in that case,” she quipped, her cheeks taking on a shade of pink as she looked back to him and saw him grinning.

Caught drooling.

“I think it’s a good idea,” he said, ignoring her, and she shook her head to stay focused on the subject. “Are you sure, Bard?”

“Of course,” his friend replied. “Go on, take your lovely woman out and enjoy yourselves.”

Thranduil turned blue eyes to her. “Dress up for me baby,” he murmered. “We’re going clubbing.”


	55. Revelations

** CHAPTER FIFTY FIVE **

****

Amay tipped her head back as she laughed, the flashing lights reflecting off the large silver hooped earrings she wore. Thranduil grinned, lifting his wine and taking a mouthful. His other hand rested casually on her thigh.

“Dance with me,” he said, setting his glass down.

Her eyes sparkled, and she nodded. “I’d love to.”

The night was getting on, and the music had changed from head-banging, bouncing tracks so slower, more sedate ones. Amy Grant’s Baby Baby was blasting across the club as they stood and went onto the dance floor, Amay turning and sliding her arms up around his shoulders.

His hands centred at her lower back, his eyes on her as they swayed together.

_Stop for a minute_

_Baby I’m so glad you’re mine_

_And ever since the day_

_You put my heart in motion_

_Baby I realised that_

_There’s just no gettin’over you_

The lights flashed and flickered around them, highlighting the devotion she could see in the ice blue eyes that held hers. She felt herself drowning in a vortex, yet no part of her wanted to break free and swim for freedom or safety.

She twirled in his arms and pressed her back against him as the track changed, mixing into a remix of Madonna’s Justify My Love. Her hips swayed in rhythm to the sensual beat, her backside rubbing against his groin as she moved.

Strong hands grasped her wrists and lifted her arms straight up, slowly trailing back down her heated flesh, brushing the sides of her breasts on their journey. She lowered her arms behind her, to interlink her fingers at the back of his head, which had lowered slightly so his mouth touched the soft skin of her neck. His hands settled on her hips, holding her and moving with her in her swaying motion.

The floor seemed to tilt beneath her feet, the blood left her head and she started to feel dizzy. His strong hands held her tight against him, the movement of their hips heightening her desire. She pushed back against him as they moved, her lips parting as she felt the hardness pressing against her. Her head fell back against his shoulder as she felt his nose nuzzling at her neck.

A sigh left her as his mouth brushed over her, his hot breath burning her flesh. She pushed back harder, lust crashing through her body as she felt the solid erection pressing against her. Soft whispers drifted to her in the semi-darkness; erotic suggestions and promises that made her knees weaken. His hands lifted as he trailed his mouth down to her shoulder, swirling circles on her waist and travelling back up to just touch the sides of her breasts and no more, then sliding back down her body again.

She sunk her teeth into her bottom lip as he caressed her thighs, exposed by the mid-length skirt of her white dress. Hot sparks radiated through her as she leaned back as far as she could, until he was practically supporting her, and she felt him smile against her skin.

“Shall we go home, my love?” he whispered. “I want to rip this dress from you and fuck you so hard…come home with me…let me pleasure you…”

Turning again in his arms, she tugged him down to her, pressing her mouth to his as she continued to dance with him.

“Let’s go,” she said, pulling back only enough to gaze into his eyes.

He winked, taking her hand and leading her through the crowds and out into the cooler night air. The traffic was still reasonably busy, and in a few minutes Bard pulled up in the CRV.

Amay glanced up at Thranduil in surprise, but he merely grinned and opened the back door for her, ushering her inside. Bard met her eyes in the rear view mirror, grinning but saying nothing as he shifted away from the sidewalk.

Thranduil lifted her over his knees, leaning her back over his arm as he crushed her mouth under his, his hand trailing up her leg to rest on her thigh. She crossed her arms behind his neck, sinking deeper into his kiss as his tongue swept inside her mouth.

Bard discreetly increased the volume of the music in the front, paying them no attention.

“This is the sexiest dress I have ever seen you wearing,” Thranduil whispered as he kissed a trail of fire along her jaw to below her ear. “It’s almost a pity you shall not be wearing it for long.”

The white dress dipped low at the front, exposing a generous amount of cleavage, held up by thin straps that crossed over her back to just over halfway down her spine. The waist was tight, with the soft fabric floating out at her hips to swirl around her thighs.

“I am going to rip it off you the second I get you upstairs,” he continued, his husky whisper melting her bones as his lips moved against her skin. “I’m going to take your knickers off with my teeth, and lick you _everywhere._ Then I’m going to hold you down and fuck you hard until you scream.”

The whimper that escaped her was quickly silenced as his mouth came back to hers, his erotic seduction making everything around her tip off-kilter. She ran her hands through his long hair, licking her lips as he lifted slightly to gaze at her.

“I can’t wait,” she whispered back. “I want you right now…”

She tugged him back down to her, moaning as quietly as she could as his hand caressed her breast through the fabric of her dress. Her fingers roamed over the skin of his neck and throat, desperate to tear his shirt off to feel more.

She was breathing hard by the time Bard pulled up outside the house, with Thranduil not in a much better state. He eased her from his lap to open the car door, scooting out and pulling her with him. Bard grinned and swept the car around to the garage round the back, leaving them to go inside.

Thranduil dragged her up the steps and into the house, slamming the door and lifting her, throwing her over his shoulder as he climbed the stairs. She started to giggle, but her laughs turned to moans as his free hand slid up the back of her thighs, the warmth from his palm setting her skin on fire.

He burst into their bedroom and booted the door closed, crossing to the bed and throwing her down onto the soft mattress. Instantly he was looming over her, ripping his shirt open and shrugging out of it. Blue eyes blazed with fire and lust as he fell into her arms, his mouth meeting hers in a crushing, hungry kiss. Her hands immediately wound through his hair in a tight hold as she twisted to get even closer to him. His hands gripped the fabric of her dress, pulling it down to her waist. A deep sigh echoed from both of them as heated flesh came into direct contact with heated flesh. Fire burned and blazed between them, the flames consuming them as they rolled over and over, lost in each other.

Tearing his mouth from hers, he panted hard as he slid down her body, his long hair sweeping over her breasts and her torso as he moved. Strong hands yanked the skirt of her dress up, revealing a white thong that made him curse and swear fluently under his breath as he gripped it with his teeth and pulled it down her legs.

“Somebody has been tending to her personal grooming,” he murmered as he parted her thighs. A slow lick of his tongue against her core accompanied his sensual groan of pleasure. “I like. Much more sensitive, more responsive.”

Her head fell back and her back arched up off the bed as he twisted his tongue around her throbbing clitoris, rubbing against it and slowly drawing it between his lips in an erotic kiss. She felt his hands grasp her behind both knees, lifting her legs up and forcing them wider apart. Her breath left her in whimpers and cries of need as he licked and teased her, two long fingers sliding into her depths and thrusting deeply.

“That feels so good, baby,” she whined, writhing as pleasure surged through her. “Oh my God yesssss…right there…”

He curled his fingers, rubbing against a sensitive spot she didn’t even know she had, his mouth still focused on her clit. A deep throaty groan met his ears, and his erection twitched in response. He was going to make her scream the house down, then make her scream some more.

Withdrawing his fingers, he gripped her inner thighs, holding her still as he licked her, pushing his tongue inside her in a plunging motion that had her gripping fistfuls of his hair. The room seemed to spin around her, all sense of direction and placement lost.

He swept his tongue back up to her clit, swirling around it and rubbing back and forth, gradually increasing pressure. Her head rolled from one side to the other, her breathing uneven and rapid. Her body twisted as she pushed her hips closer, desperate for the massive orgasm that lay just out of reach. He slid one hand up over her stomach, taking hold of her left breast and flicking his thumb over it. She gasped and cried out as her body tightened, hovering closer to release.

“Oh fuck Thranduil…make me come,” she begged.

Within seconds, her body exploded with tsunamic force as he swept her into a climax that had her gripping the pillow and screaming into it. He instantly pulled away from her, hauling the dress down her legs as he fought with the zipper on his jeans and shirking out of the restrictive fabric. Intense blue eyes met hers for a brief second before he grabbed her and literally lifted her and tossed her onto her stomach, dragging her hips towards him.

Dizziness flooded over her as he pushed in with one forceful thrust and she shuddered as her orgasm continued to destroy her. Hard, deep thrusts drew her pleasure out, his body slamming into hers with an unrestrained need.

She loved the dominant, controlling side of him; the almost emotionless being who would fuck her until she soaked the bed and had no voice left.

He leaned over her back, supporting himself with one hand and gripping a fistful of her hair with the other, yanking her head back as far as he could. His mouth crushed hers, his hips never faltering in their relentless rhythm. Her body trembled, every nerve ending and cell in her bursting with awareness. His tongue demanded and took possession of her mouth, his dominant side controlling how much pleasure he gave her.

“I’m not going to stop fucking you until you come again,” he panted, biting hard into her neck. “And once you come, I’m going to fuck you some more.”

Her insides clenched around him in response to his erotic words, and she gripped the mattress as she pushed back against him, wanting, _needing_ to peak again. His strokes seemed to go deeper, each thrust pounding hard into her quivering core.

“So fucking hot and wet,” he whispered as he kissed his way to her shoulder. “So fucking tight.”

Her head lowered as she sucked in lungful after lungful of air, her body hurtling with abandon towards a second orgasm. He sensed the change, and released his hold on her hair, gripping her hip instead as he slammed harder. Her body clenched and tightened with an iron force and she screamed and cried as she orgasmed again, her system going into convulsions as everything imploded around her.

Thranduil pushed against her back and forced her flat down onto her stomach again, flipping his feet on either side of her legs and quickly slamming them together, still maintaining his position inside her. Her body closed round him even tighter, increasing the friction as he thrust deep and fast. His body quivered and spasmed as he hit his climax, and he threw his head back with a deep groan as he spurted hard into her, the waves of ecstasy crashing through him from head to toe.

Eventually his arms gave out and he collapsed, his weight half on her and half on the bed. Deep panting breaths were the only sound in the room as they lay in a hot, sweaty mess of limbs and tangled hair. They lay sprawled together for ages, allowing their breathing and heartbeats to settle back into some sort of normal functioning rhythm.

Amay murmered incoherently as his warm hand slowly caressed her back, following the curves down and back up again. He mumbled something unintelligible into the pillow in response, but neither of them had the energy or the willpower to repeat it.

The air cooling the sweat on them finally made them move, and Thranduil rolled onto his side and tugged the quilt up towards them.

She sighed, partly in contentment and partly in exhaustion, leaning back against the solid wall of his chest. “I think maybe I should wear that little white dress more often,” she said lazily.

He chuckled softly. “You do not need it to turn me on,” he replied. “But for fuck sake Amethyst…you looked amazing wearing it. Even better not wearing it.”

She smiled. “Then my mission is complete.”

He nuzzled her neck with his nose, pushing strands of her hair aside. “I almost had a fit when I first saw you in it,” he told her. “It’s not indecently short, but the skirt only went to half-way down your thighs…all I could think of was parting those long legs and burying myself in between them…holy shit.”

She giggled.

“And the way you danced with me? I think you are trying to kill me,” he said huskily, pressing gentle kisses to her neck.

“Never,” she said, lifting her hand and searching for his. He took hold of hers and entwined his fingers through hers. “I need you.”

“You have me, my darling,” he assured her. “Always and forever. That is my promise.”

*****

Amay felt a little tender and so decided to wear leggings the next morning, paired with a loose t-shirt that belonged to Thranduil. The soft grey cotton felt like silk against her skin, and his aroma still clung to it from where he’d worn it for a few hours the previous day.

He frowned as she crossed the hallway and went into his study. “I thought that was due to be laundered,” he said.

She shrugged, handing him his coffee. “You only wore it for a wee while,” she answered. “I wanted to wear it.”

“As long as you are comfortable,” he mused, a smile hovering around his mouth.

“What are you doing, anyway?” she queried, drinking her own coffee. “You were up really early this morning.”

“Hmm,” he agreed. “I had a shower then came down to go over some of these figures, to see if anything made sense.”

“And?”

He sighed, dropping the pen he held onto the desk. “There is a lot missing. A lot unaccounted for.” His eyes lifted to hers. “You were right, my love.”

The wind left her sails. “How much?”

He hesitated.

“Thranduil?” Amay lowered herself onto the edge of the desk, across from him. “How much?”

He clasped his hands behind his head. “Close to three hundred thousand,” he said quietly.

She gasped in horror, jumping back off the desk. “No!”

He nodded.

“How…what…how long has this been going on for?” she demanded, unable to process the figure he’d given her. “You must have made some mistake…three hundred grand?!”

“I have been over and over it, and I do not make mistakes,” he said. He pointed to the sheet on top of the pile before him. Columns and columns of figures blurred in her vision, some underlined, some with question marks, some circled. The red pen had been all over the sheet. “I’d say this began as soon as you completed the last stocktake.”

She frowned, trying to make sense of what she was looking at. “Alina, Stevie, and Dan did that count,” she said slowly. “I’m sure it was them. I oversaw it, to make sure they kept their noses to the ground and were actually doing the count instead of bunking off.”

He nodded. “I remember Sam asking you. We had just started seeing one another at the time. I honestly think it sprouted wings and flew just after that.”

“Who finalised that years’ figures?” she asked.

“Sam.”

“Guaranteed it’s correct then,” she reasoned. “He didn’t make mistakes when it came to this kind of thing. That only means one thing…you must be right.” Her eyes held his, and he saw a vast sadness wash over them.

“Baby, do not take this in a personal way,” he said, reaching for her. “This has no reflection on you.”

“How can it not? It’s my job to make sure everything’s watertight, not losing money left, right and centre,” she counteracted. “Of course I’m taking it personally! Somebody has been taking money from you, and making me look like an idiot in the process!”

He shook his head, trying to bring a sense of calm to her. “Amethyst, you have to listen to me on this,” he said quietly. “Theft happens in business all the time, it’s near on impossible to stop it. Do _not_ take this the way you are right now; there is no point.”

She chewed the inside of her mouth as she contemplated what he was saying. “Is there any way to…I don’t know…get it back?” she asked eventually.

He shook his head. “Seriously doubtful.”

“So how has it disappeared?” she frowned. “From the door? From the bar? From the deliveries? Is it cash, or stock?”

He took a deep breath before lifting ice blue eyes to hers. “It’s cash. From the bar.”

“Jesus Christ,” she whispered, sinking back onto the edge of the desk. “Thranduil…that’s over five and a half grand a week…for a full-timer, that’s a grand a shift…” She trailed off, disbelief and horror in her eyes. “Who would do something like that to you?”

“Us,” he corrected, dropping his gaze back to the paperwork. “To us.”

She waved her hand in a careless flip. “Whatever.”

He didn’t answer.

“Do you know who’s behind this?” she asked.

No response.

“Thranduil?” Her tone was hesitant, unsure.

He raised his gaze back to meet hers. “Sophie.”


	56. Amethyst's Anger

** CHAPTER FIFTY SIX **

****

Amay’s mouth dropped open in shock.

Thranduil said nothing, just slowly swivelled his seat from side to side, watching her.

She snapped out of her trance-like state. “It can’t be,” she said. “Not Soph. I’ve known her for years.”

“I’m sorry, sweetheart,” he said softly.

She laughed, but it was a nervous laugh as opposed to a humorous one. “She wouldn’t do something like this babe, I know she wouldn’t. It’s not her, she’s not like that. I know she can be a bitch sometimes, but she’s not a thief.”

He sighed, leaning his elbows on the desk and clasping his fingers together. “I’ve checked back on her shift pattern over the last year,” he said quietly. “According to the amount of people going through the doors and the amount of liquor we go through, it does not balance out with what is being put through the register.”

She blinked, poking her tongue into the side of her cheek, deep in thought as she stared at him, not really seeing him. “No,” she decided. “No way.”

“I’ve also been going through CCTV footage from back when we refurbished after the break-in,” he said. “She’s not as clever as she would like everyone to think, Amethyst. Not by a long shot. Every dollar she took since the reopening has been seen.”

Her shoulders slumped, and she carefully set her coffee down. Her head lowered, and she sat deathly silent, his words impacting on her.

Thranduil leaned back in his seat, upset at having to break the news to her. Whether he or anybody else liked Sophie or not, she was still her friend, and the two shared a past. A past filled with jokes, laughter, and good times. A past of female bonding and shared memories.

“I remember the first time she laid eyes on you,” she whispered after a silence that seemed to stretch out forever. “She didn’t know who you were, she just caught sight of you and her jaw dropped…she said she wanted to have your babies. She asked what I did to be with you.” Dazed blue eyes lifted to his.

“She is not the friend you thought,” he replied.

Her eyes narrowed. His tone was off. “What are you not telling me?” she asked suspiciously.

One eyebrow lifted as he stared at her.

“Oh no,” she said. “Oh no…tell me she didn’t…”

He sighed. “She made it blatantly clear that she was interested,” he said. “More than once. I made a point of not being in her presence without someone else around. More often than not, Ray would be with me if you weren’t.”

“When?”

“Before the girls were born,” he said.

“That doesn’t answer my question,” she said.

“It started after we got back together, after we’d split up for those three months,” he said with a heavy sigh. “Once it became public knowledge that you were having the girls, she started making little comments here and there. Nothing that you could put down to sexual harassment, but collectively coming from the same individual it was heading in that direction.”

Amay exploded.

She leapt off the desk and swept her arm out, crashing her cup to the floor. Black coffee sprayed everywhere. The seat that had been sitting empty just to the right of her knee tipped over and banged off the floor. She whirled round and sped towards the door, but Thranduil was out of his seat within a split second.

“Amethyst, do not do this,” he urged, gripping her upper arms and turning her to face him.

“Get off me!” she screamed, lashing out. “Let go of me!”

“Listen to me,” he said sharply.

“No! Get off me!” She fought and wriggled, determined to free herself. “She’s fucking dead, I’ll fucking kill her! Let me go!”

He inwardly thanked his genetics for being as tall and strong as he was, as Amay fought like a demon and he had trouble restraining her. “Amethyst, stop,” he shouted, pinning her up against him. “Stop this! Listen to me!”

Fists flailed and feet kicked as she twisted and contorted in his arms, trying to loosen his grip on her. Her angry energy gave her superhuman strength, and it took everything he had to control her as she freaked out and turned into a wildcat.

They ended up in the centre of the floor, away from anything that she could hurt herself on; Amay’s back pressed tightly against his chest as she bent over, his body covering hers and his arms pinning hers to her sides, his fists locked over her stomach.

Deep, panting breaths filled the air as she struggled to compose herself, and he remained silent against her.

Her breathing turned choppy and she started to cry, her emotions imploding and crashing down around her. Feeling her body weaken and the tremor that ran through her, he slowly lowered himself to the carpet, taking her with him. Maintaining his hold on her, he leaned his head against hers as she broke her heart; devastating sobs echoing around the room.

The minutes dragged past, with her sobbing her heart out and him quietly holding her in a strong, but comforting grip.

“I can’t believe she would do this,” she cried, blinded by tears. “She’s supposed to be my friend…yet she steals from us and tries to come between us?”

Thranduil’s heart broke at the pain in her voice and the anguish in her eyes as he gently turned her to face him. Framing her face with his hands, he brushed her tears away. “She is not a friend, my love,” he said quietly. “She took advantage of a situation where she thought she could gain financially. And she attempted to take advantage of a situation where she thought she could have some fun thinking that you weren’t capable. She was wrong.”

“Did she ever touch you?” she asked, still crying.

He shook his head. “No. I promise you Amethyst, she never laid a finger on me, nor I her. After the first comment I always had someone around that I trusted. I promise on my life.”

“I believe you,” she whispered. “Why didn’t you tell me?” Fresh tears flowed down her cheeks.

He shook his head. “I did not want to be the evil boyfriend or husband who came between you and your friend,” he said, a sad tone to his words. “I knew how close you were, or supposedly were. I did not want you to be hurt.”

She leaned her head on his chest, drained and emotionally wrecked. He lowered his head and pressed a soft kiss to the top of her head.

“She knew you were tired and sore carrying the babies,” he said. “And she knew you were becoming more insecure the bigger you became, and she played on that. I hate to say it my love, but she is toxic through and through.”

“I just wish I’d seen it before,” she whispered. “I would’ve put a stop to this a long time ago.”

“I would not have said anything while you were pregnant,” he said. “I would not want you or the babies at risk, and I know your temper and how protective you are of what belongs to you.”

“That bastard even congratulated me at our wedding,” she said, listening to the soothing rhythm of his heart. “She’d been trying to get you into bed, and she had the gall to congratulate me.”

“Ray warned me about how destructive she was towards you,” he said. “So did Vicky.”

“Ray never liked her,” she said. “I didn’t know Vicky had any ill-feeling towards her.”

“She warned me to be careful around her,” he told her. “I think she saw something that neither of us could.”

Amay shifted, snuggling deeper into his arms. “This is my fault,” she whispered.

He frowned. “Explain.”

“I offered her the job.” Her voice was so quiet, he had trouble picking up her words. “I brought her into the situation.”

“Do not blame yourself,” he said, rubbing her back. “Please Amethyst, do not blame yourself.”

“I started this,” she whispered. Lifting her head from his chest, she met his eyes. “And I will finish it.”

*****

Thranduil kept an unobtrusive eye on Amay.

She was quiet, far too quiet for his liking.

She had been quiet for most of the previous day, taking him to bed that night and making love to him almost with a need to prove herself. She had been different; the connection between them different. She had been aggressive and demanding, distracted.

Still pleasuring him in every way she knew, he felt she was subconsciously marking him as hers, making him aware of the fact that only she was allowed to do this. Tender reassurance and lovingly-spoken words of comfort did little to change her frame of mind, but he understood where she was in her mind.

She had Sophie built up as unbeatable when it came to choosing a mate, and was on a mission to make sure he knew she belonged only to her. While the planets around him had collided as they’d found the ultimate euphoria with each other, he felt she was trying to prove the obvious – he only had eyes for her.

One fitful night’s sleep later, she was mulling over the accounting figures, just waiting, like a tiger ready to pounce.

“Alright, Mr and Mrs O?” Ray greeted, bursting into the office with his usual lack of finesse and heaving his weight into a seat. “How’s things?”

Blue eyes lifted from the paperwork to his, and lowered again without comment.

Ray looked at Thranduil in silent question, who discreetly lifted one shoulder in a semi shrug.

“Is everything ok?” he asked, turning back to Amay.

“Absolutely fine,” she replied, shifting the page she was studying to the bottom of the pile and concentrating on the next one. “Absolutely fucking peachy.”

He sat back and folded his arms. “Is this a guessing game?” he asked, looking between the pair. “Or did I forget to flip my psychic switch on this morning?”

Amay’s glance met her husband’s. “We might as well tell him,” she sighed. “It’s going to come out.”

“Are you pregnant again?” he asked excitedly.

“No.”

“Trying to be?”

“No.”

“Having a party?”

“Ray, stop,” she said, exasperated. “We’ve got a problem with the accounts. A huge problem.”

His eyebrows came down in a heavy frown. “In what way?”

“In a three hundred thousand dollar shortage,” Thranduil said.

His eyes went like flying saucers. “What?!” His head whipped round to Amay, who had a face like thunder. “Are you serious??”

“Deadly,” she muttered. “Fuck Ray…I should have seen this coming…seen it before now…or something.”

He stared at her for a minute or two, before shaking his head. “Don’t tell me,” he murmered.

She nodded. “Yeah.”

“Oh fuck, Peach,” he said, getting up and crossing over to her. Sinking onto his knees on the floor, he wrapped his arms around her in a bear hug. “I’m sorry, I really am. I didn’t want to be right about her, but there’s just something about her I could never take to.”

She returned the strength of his embrace, before pulling back and running a hand through her hair. “That’s not all,” she said.

His eyes went over to Thranduil, who sat quietly, just watching them. “She did not,” he gasped in horror.

“Why do you think I always needed you for things?” he asked. “Forewarned is forearmed. Protection in numbers. Witnesses. I was taking no chances.”

“Shit,” Ray muttered. “Are you guys alright?”

“We’re fine,” Amay said. “She didn’t touch him, just made her intentions clear.”

“Fucking skank,” he said, still shaking his head in shock. “That’s not a friend, Peach.”

“Tell me about it,” she laughed, but Thranduil caught a trace of her need to cry in the otherwise melodic sound. “With friends like that, who the hell needs enemies?”

An uneasy silence settled over them, each one absorbing the reality of what their colleague had tried to do; not only ruin their business, but ruin their relationship too.

Ray eventually headed off to do whatever he was going to do, leaving the pair alone once more.

“We need to think about how we are going to deal with this,” Thranduil said, breaking the silence.

Amay shrugged. “There’s no way we’ll ever see the money again,” she acknowledged. “Bitch has probably spent every dime. She was constantly buying new togs, going clubbing on her nights off…who knows what else. It’s gone, as much as I hate to face the fact.”

“I believe you are right,” he answered her. “The question is what do you want to do? Press charges?”

“Yes,” she responded immediately. “She has to be held accountable for what she’s done. Whether we get anything back is neither here nor there right now, but she still has to be punished.”

He nodded. “I will make the necessary phone calls then,” he said. “I know this is hard for you, my love.”

Her gaze faltered, and she clenched her teeth in stubborn determination. “I’ll be alright,” she told him.

He stood, holding his hand out to her. “Come downstairs with me. I’m going to take you out for something to eat. Once I’ve been to the bathroom,” he added, almost to himself.

She grinned. “Need a hand?”

He chuckled. “Keep that thought in mind for later,” he told her, leading her from the office and down to the main floor. Giving her a quick kiss, he said he would be back momentarily, and headed through to the staff quarters.

She turned, taking a deep breath and grinning at Ray, who rolled his eyes.

“Sex, sex, sex,” he said dramatically.

“Who’s having sex?” Sophie demanded with a laugh, appearing from the back doorway and tossing her rucksack up onto the bar.

Amay moved with the speed of a panther. Quick as a flash, she swung an uppercut, her fist connecting in a solid punch against Sophie’s chin and sending her head snapping back. Grabbing both her ears, she dragged her head forwards and down, lifting her knee and ramming her head onto the solid bone. The sickening crack sounded like thunder in the silence of the club, and Sophie screamed as blood flew from her broken nose.

Amay didn’t stop.

She couldn’t.

Throwing her onto the floor, she kicked repeatedly at her, each contact drawing howls of agony as they connected. Ray roared like a bull for Thranduil, but she didn’t hear through the furious noise her blood made in her ears. She dropped on top of her, punching her with hard, rapid blows that left Sophie unable to defend herself against the release of rage. Grabbing fistfuls of her hair, she smashed her head off the floor over and over.

Strong arms grabbed her from behind and tried to drag her free, but she wouldn’t relinquish the grip she had, dragging Sophie across the floor.

“Amethyst! Amethyst, stop!” Thranduil shouted, struggling with her.

She ignored him, resorting to lashing out with her feet as he pinned her arms to her sides. “You’re fucking dead!” she screamed, her chest heaving as she breathed. “I’ll tear your fucking throat out!”

“Amethyst! Stop this!” he roared, trying to twist her away.

Digging her feet in, she fought against him in an attempt to finish what she’d started. “Get the fuck off me!” she screamed, wriggling and fighting in his arms. “I’ll kill her!”

Sophie scooted backwards across the floor away from her, which only made her anger surge through even more.

She managed to kick herself free and launched herself forwards, but Thranduil caught her and bodily lifted her off the floor, wondering where the hell her strength had come from.

“Get her out of here!” he yelled at Ray, who had stood frozen to one side, horrified at the violent outburst from his otherwise jovial friend.

He blinked, shaking his head rapidly to focus, and grabbed Sophie, lifting her to her feet and hurrying her from the floor.

Thranduil marched up the stairs with Amay still struggling, and took her into the office, slamming the door and standing in front of it.

She stood before him, fire blazing from her eyes and fury rolling off her in waves.

He held his hands up, palms facing her. “Breathe,” he said softly.

An instant calmness washed over her at his tone.

“Breathe slowly,” he said, still in the same tone. “Focus on me, on my voice.”

Her eyes held his, the ice blue holding her prisoner. Her heart thudded painfully against her ribs as she focused on him, willing her rage to simmer down to a manageable level. Her fists clenched and unclenched at her sides.

He never took his eyes from hers.

Eventually, her head lowered and her breath left her with a heavy _whoosh._

He knew the worst was over.

Lowering his hands, he held one out, waiting for her to take it. Seconds passed before she lifted her head, reaching for him when she saw he was waiting for her. He gently pulled her towards him, wrapping his arms around her as she leaned against him.

“I’m sorry I lashed out at you,” she whispered.

“You reacted to being restrained,” he replied softly, kissing her head. “Do not think about it. Sophie was lucky.”

She snorted quietly. “She has no idea just how lucky,” she said. “I don’t know if I could’ve stopped if you hadn’t stopped me.”

“You were defending and protecting what is yours,” he said. “I am not condoning your actions, but I understand them. And truth be told, I am not surprised by them.”

She lifted her head from his shoulder, gazing up at him. No judgement showed in the ice blue that looked back at her. “I need to get out of here,” she said. “Take me home?”

He nodded. “You need to bathe and get changed,” he replied, his hand sliding down to grasp hers.

She noticed that her clothing was splattered with blood.

Placing the pad of his index finger under her chin, he gently tipped her head back up and softly kissed her. “I’ll take you home.”


	57. Healing Time

** CHAPTER FIFTY SEVEN **

****

“I don’t know how you do it,” Amay murmered, lifting her hand and studying the strong but gentle fingers that were twisted through hers.

“Do what?” Thranduil asked. He lifted his head from the back of the couch and opened his eyes. Adira lay sleeping cradled in his free arm.

“Calm me down like that,” she responded. “I was out for blood earlier, yet you managed to cool me off within a few seconds.”

He smiled lazily, before resting his head back again. “Magic,” he murmered with a smile.

She scoffed. “Magic my arse,” she muttered.

“Hmm, that is magic too,” he said, his eyes closed.

“Are you disappointed in me?”

Ice blue eyes opened and he rolled his head towards her, studying her. “Why would I be? Because you acted like a crazy possessed woman? No, I am not disappointed.”

One side of her mouth lifted. She opened her mouth to respond, but the door opening drew her attention.

“Hey folks,” Vicky chirped cheerfully. “Leggy and I are going out for something to eat. D’you fancy coming with us? Bring the girls?”

Amay wrinkled her nose.

“Thankyou, but we’ve already eaten,” Thranduil replied, shooting his wife a sideways glance. “I think we’re just going to relax and have a lazy night tonight.”

Legolas’s face appeared over Vicky’s shoulder. “You sure? Shall we bring you something back?”

“A job application,” his father shot back dryly, making Amay snigger. “It is high time you put your qualifications to good use, my son, instead of spending your days winning races and conquering countries that do not exist.”

Legolas scowled. “You should try the Xbox some time, old man,” he quipped.

“No thankyou,” Thranduil replied. “I rather enjoy the pleasures real life has to offer. Drive carefully.” He closed his eyes again and leaned back on the couch, effectively ending the conversation.

The couple waved to Amay and disappeared, chuckling and murmering to each other.

“I suppose I really should bath the girls and get them ready for bed,” she yawned, too contented to move.

He flexed his fingers around hers, and pulled her so she was sprawled against his side with her head on his shoulder. “We can bathe them together, later,” he said, and moved his arm to rest around her shoulders. “It is not often we get peace and quiet like this to just rest together.”

“Very true,” she said on a gentle sigh. Her fingers walked up his chest and she brought her thumb up to caress his full lower lip. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” he replied, taking a deep breath. “Let me sit up so I can put the little one in her carry cot.”

She leaned away so he could move, and once Adira was settled, he sat back. She climbed onto his knee and sat astride him, locking her fingers together at the back of his neck.

“Something on your mind, my Queen?” he drawled, his hands locking at her lower back.

“Yes,” she whispered as she leaned forwards and brushed her lips over his throat. “You. Naked. Turned on. Hard. Sweating. Gasping. Begging to come.” Her mouth whispered across his flesh as she talked.

His hips moved slightly under her. “Sounds like heaven,” he murmered.

“Want me to take you there?” she offered slyly as her lips moved lower. Her fingers slid forwards onto his chest and she slowly unbuttoned his shirt, pressing hot, wet kisses to the solid muscle as she exposed it. His chest rose as he inhaled deeply. “I can take you. If you want me to.”

“Oh yes,” he said. “I do. Very much.”

Her tongue flicked over his nipple, and he jerked slightly in response. Supressing a grin, she moved lower, sliding off his lap as she kissed her way down his stomach. “Such a pity to hide such a body beneath clothing,” she whispered. “Such a waste. Such a tease.”

He leaned his head back against the couch, eyes closed, mouth open, just enjoying what she was doing to him. His hips fidgeted restlessly as she slowly unfastened his belt, his erection already straining against the restraint of his trousers. He sprung free at last, falling into her waiting hands as she rubbed him through his underwear. His breath left him as she moulded her palms to his shape, her hands moving up and down over the cotton.

“Take them down, baby,” he hissed between his teeth.

Her fingers curled over the elastic and he lifted up to assist in the removal of the ridiculous garment – he’d much rather be free of them anyway – and the cooler air hit him as she pulled the fabric down over his hips. Hot lips kissed the head, a wet tongue swirled around the crease of his foreskin.

“Yes, baby…like that,” he murmered, pushing to gain entrance to her mouth.

Not a chance.

She angled her head and slowly trailed kisses down his length towards the base, flicking her tongue out every so often to lick teasingly, then kissing back up the other side. One hand lightly caressed his sac, while the other rested on the smooth skin of his stomach.

Deep moans reached her ears, and she glanced up to see him with his eyes closed, his head rolled to one side, his teeth biting his lower lip.

Good.

Sweeping her tongue flat against him in an upward motion towards his head, her hand rose and wrapped around him, gently working up and down as she took him in her mouth.

“Fuck…” he ground out.

Her fingers tightened around him as she sucked vigorously, her hand gaining speed. He uttered a few choice words and bucked up off the couch.

“Tell me what you want me to do to you,” she whispered, lifting up from him and gazing up at him.

He leaned his head forwards, forcing his eyes open. “Anything,” he replied breathlessly. “Everything.”

She smirked, and concentrated on licking him again. Salty pre-cum oozed from him, which she eagerly licked clean. Humming to herself in pleasure, she took him back as far as she could, ignoring the fire that had ignited between her thighs. Her clitoris throbbed for his touch, aching for release that only he could grant her. Heat radiated from him as he reclined before her, his chest heaving as he gasped in deep breaths.

She took him back further, jerking forwards a little at the beginnings of a retch, and cursed silently to herself. Tightening her grip on him, she tried again.

Warm hands wound through her hair, gently tugging until she lifted from him, and he shook his head.

“Do not do this,” he said softly. “You have nothing to prove.”

She held his gaze for a few moments, the love in his eyes throwing her off kilter a little. Swallowing, she dropped her gaze, and he tilted her head back up so she would look at him.

“Come up here,” he whispered. “Kiss me.”

She complied hesitantly and climbed back onto his lap. He ground his mouth against hers in a deep, hungry kiss, his hands tangled in her hair. He turned this way and that, intent on deepening the contact further, his tongue invading her mouth and claiming her completely. She wound her arms around his neck, pressing herself tightly against him.

Cool air hit her back as he lifted the hem of her t-shirt up. Breaking the kiss to tug it up and off, he dived back to her to continue ravaging her mouth. She moaned into him, her hips wriggling against his throbbing erection that rested against her stomach. Her bra disappeared and he took her breasts in both hands and rubbed his thumbs over her hard nipples.

“Oh babe,” she whimpered against his lips.

“Tell me what you want,” he whispered as he broke away and kissed his way down her neck.

“I want you to fuck me,” she gasped, arching into him. “I need you inside me…”

He gripped her leggings and yanked them down her legs along with her underwear. Eager fingers trailed between her thighs as she settled back over him, probing into the moist heat that awaited his touch. Her insides clenched around his intrusion, her hips rocking hard against his hand.

“You are so wet for me, baby,” he whispered. “So hot, and wet, and ready for me…”

“Now babe, now,” she pleaded, rocking against him harder.

He slid his fingers out of her, circling around her clitoris and pushing back in again. “Soon, sweetheart, soon,” he promised.

She groaned, leaning her head back as his mouth closed over her nipple and he sucked hard. Sweat trickled down between her shoulder blades. Her breathing became laboured. Her hands gripped his head, holding him to her.

Electricity flooded through her veins, arching down in between her legs as the lust took over her senses.

Thranduil lifted her hips and positioned himself, slowly lowering her onto his hard flesh. A deep moan tore from her lips as her body greedily accepted him, urging him deeper. She tipped her head forwards and gazed into his eyes, the lust and passion reflecting in the ice blue depths matching her own.

Holding his gaze, she moved slowly on him, lifting and sinking back down, rotating her hips. Her hands gripped his shoulders, while his had a firm hold on her hips.

Her movements gathered speed as she gave him an open-mouthed kiss, her tongue battling with his as the heat between them rose.

She pulled back and sunk her teeth into her lower lip, gazing at his swollen mouth. “You make me feel things I never thought existed,” she whispered, lifting her eyes to his. “Only you could ever do this to me.”

“Only I ever will,” he promised as he captured her mouth again. Their bodies moved in perfect synchronisation, each movement and each caress tailored to the other.

A deep cry ripped from her as she climaxed, her face flushed as the pleasure tore through her. Thranduil followed quickly, his fingers digging almost painfully into her flesh as he spurted deep into her.

“I love you so much,” she gasped as she rested her head on his shoulder. “So, so, so much.”

He smiled, placing a kiss on her temple. “And I love you so, so, so much more,” he replied. “I always have, my darling. And I always will.”

Closing her eyes, she relaxed against him, safe and contented in his arms.

*****

Amaris wailed her head off, and Amay continued to pace the kitchen floor with her, rubbing her back and softly _sshhh_ ing to her to soothe her.

Nothing worked.

“What’s wrong with her?” Thranduil asked, coming into the room and setting his phone on the worktop. “Here, let me try. You’ve been walking for close to half an hour.”

He held his arms out and she passed their screaming daughter over.

“Make yourself a coffee,” he advised, taking up where she left off. “I think this little Princess might be teething…her cheeks are red.”

Amay yawned, switching the kettle on and lifting two mugs down. “I think there should be some teething powders in the meds cupboard,” she said as she crossed the polished floor. Opening the cupboard, she stood on her toes peering inside.

Thranduil reached over her head and took the powders, a smug smile on his face as she turned to glare at him.

“Show-off,” she muttered.

He laughed. “There are advantages to being tall,” he told her. “Lots of them.” He lowered his head and kissed her as he went past, settling his daughter on his left arm as he opened the powders. “Now then, my noisy little imp…let’s see if this helps your sore little gums.”

Amay watched as he used the pad of his finger to rub the powder onto the baby’s gums, her little jaws clamping down onto him and biting as hard as she could.

He yelped.

She burst out laughing. “Even being tall can’t get you out of that,” she mused, shaking her head as she went back to her task of making the coffee. “She bit me a belter the other night. I was winding her, and she bit my damned shoulder.”

“She has a bite like a pit pull,” he observed, tugging to free his finger.

“I have a question for you,” she said, leaning on the worktop and folding her arms.

Ice blue eyes lifted to hers. “Ask me anything.”

“Why did you stop me last night?”

A faint smile ghosted his mouth. “Because you were taking me back too far,” he replied.

She frowned. “I thought every guy dreams about their partner deep-throating them,” she said.

He lifted one eyebrow reproachfully. “The biggest turn-off during oral sex is your partner gagging and retching,” he said. “I did not want you to go that far; you were already trying not to retch. The sensation of something being forced down your throat is not a pleasant one, I shouldn’t think.”

She shrugged nonchalantly.

“The way you do it is absolutely fine,” he reassured her, a slight swagger to his step as he walked towards her. He tipped her chin up with a fingertip. “Stop measuring yourself against what other people do or do not do.” A gentle brush of his lips against hers signalled the end of the topic. “I have a surprise for you.”

“You do? What?” she asked.

“Did you know I had horses back in the UK?” he asked, knowing she didn’t.

“No,” she said, her eyebrows lifting. “What d’you mean had? What happened to them?”

He smirked. “They arrived over here a month ago, and are through their quarantine period,” he said. “I’ve bought the field and stables along the road from the landowners, and the horses are coming home today.”

Her jaw dropped and she squealed. “You are _joking!_ ” she exclaimed. “Tell me you’re kidding me!”

“Do I ever lie to you?” he laughed.

“You sod!” she yelled, laughing. “How could you keep quiet about that? Oh my God, I love horses! I can’t wait to see them!”

“I thought you would be excited,” he said, laughing as she grabbed him for a smacker of a kiss. “They should be here before lunchtime, all being well.”

“Shit,” she said. “Horses!”

“Yes, my darling, horses.”

“Can I ride one?” she asked, reminding him of an impatient child.

“No – you can have one,” he replied. “I already know which one I would like you to have. She’s a beautiful animal, and I know you are going to fall in love with her.”

“Oh my,” she whispered. He never ceased to amaze her, and her mind went back to a time in her life before she knew him.

He frowned. “What’s wrong?”

She shook her head determinedly. “Nothing. I was just thinking about how so much has changed,” she told him. “It kind of takes the wind out of my sails when I think about it.”

He studied her for a moment, then pulled her to him with his free hand and crushed his mouth against hers. “Then do not think about it,” he advised. “I told you Amethyst, I wish to spoil you beyond your wildest dreams, give you everything you could ever wish for. That is what I am going to do.”

“I already have everything any woman could ever wish for,” she reminded him, touching his cheek. “Everything, and so much more. I have you.”

Ice blue eyes smiled at her, and he took her hand, tugging her behind him as he headed through to the lounge with Amaris still cradled in his other arm.

*****

Amay leaned on the fencepost, her hand held out.

A massive white shire horse eyed her, chewing a mouthful of grass. Thranduil watched silently, one foot resting on the lower section of the fence.

The horse slowly meandered over, and sniffed her hand. With a soft snicker, she rubbed her nose against her palm and then nuzzled her shoulder.

He smiled. “This is the horse I had in mind for you,” he said, watching his wife bond with the animal. “Her name is Starlight.”

Amay turned to look at him. “That’s a gorgeous name,” she said, rubbing the horse’s neck as she butted her shoulder for attention. “Which one do you ride the most?”

He made a clicking noise with his tongue, and an even bigger shire lifted his head, changing direction and wandering over towards him. “This is Storm. I’ve had him since he was a foal.” The huge creature came to a halt beside the fence, stamping one hoof almost in welcome. He laughed, and stroked his ears, murmering softly to him. “I have a really strong bond with my horses – or should I say – _our_ horses.”

She shook her head as she smiled. “They’re not ours, they’re yours,” she said.

“No. They are ours. Everything I have is yours,” he told her. His hand settled on the huge black horse that gazed solemnly at him. “And I mean everything.” His eyes met hers, and her heart missed a beat at the look in them. It was as if he was able to see right into the depths of her soul, and in return was showing her his.

Swallowing, she stepped closer to him, leaning against his chest, both of them with one arm around each other, and one hand each on the pram that held their daughters.


	58. The End Of The World

** CHAPTER FIFTY EIGHT **

****

The horses settled in well. Amay and Thranduil spent a lot of time with them, and as there were five in total, there was always something to do. Amay encouraged the idea of taking the babies with them whenever they went to tend to them, with the reasoning that if they grew up around the animals, they would be more relaxed around them as they grew older, and the horses would know and trust them.

Thranduil suggested bringing Ray over for the day, and the three of them spending some time out on the horses.

Amay jumped at the idea, finding any excuse to ride Starlight. True to his prediction, she had fallen head-over-heels in love with the beautiful animal, who in turn seemed to bond with her straight away.

The day for Ray’s visit arrived, bringing much hilarity with it.

“Oh for fuck sake!” he squealed as Flame, his horse, went from a walk to a brisk trot.

Amay threw her head back and laughed, urging Starlight around and matching his pace. Thranduil rode alongside on Storm, contented within himself at the peace he felt radiating from her.

“This horse is running away with meeee!” Ray squealed, hanging onto the reins for dear life.

“Oh my God no he isn’t!” Amay shouted. “He’s hardly sped up at all, you muppet!” With that, she kicked her heels against Starlight’s side, and took off at a gallop.

“Oh for fuck sake don’t follow, please don’t follow, please don’t follow,” he pleaded with his horse.

Thranduil roared with laughter until tears rolled down his cheeks. “You need to lighten up, trust the horse,” he said, wiping tears away.

Ray pfffft’d in disgust. “How d’you slow it down?” he wailed, as the trot showed signs of picking up to a canter. “Where’s the fucking brakes?”

The laughter continued. “A horse doesn’t have brakes! Just pull the reins a little. He’ll know what you’re telling him.”

“Oh fuuuuuuuck,” Ray squeaked. “Jesus Christ on a bike!”

Thranduil leaned forwards shaking his head, laughter completely ripping from his soul. He hadn’t seen anything as comical in a long, long time.

Amay sped back over on Starlight, momentarily taking his breath away through his hilarity. Her long ponytail swished around her arms as she brought the horse up alongside, circling the pair. “What’s so funny? Is he still carrying on like a big girl’s blouse?” she quipped, regarding her friend with a look of amusement. She trotted around them in circles.

“Stop fucking doing that!” Ray spat, fighting with the reins. “This walking can of dog-food is going to copy you!”

She roared. “Holy shit Ray, stop being such a pussy,” she laughed. “Relax! He can feel your tension.”

Thranduil held his side, still crying with laughter.

“This is no way to treat a guest!” Ray roared, as Flame decided he wanted to follow Starlight around in circles. “Fuuuuuuuck..!”

Amay brought her horse to a halt, grabbing Flame’s reins. “Come on then, you big fud,” she chuckled. “We’ll walk you back in.”

Ray scowled and snatched them back as she muttered _dildo_ under her breath good-naturedly. “I can walk him myself, thankyou very much,” he retorted.

“Fine,” she grinned.

Thranduil brought Storm alongside him, and the two horses walked together at a leisurely pace.

“I’m going to fall behind,” Amay told him. “Starlight’s itching to gallop, so I can let her run without Flame wanting to follow.”

He nodded in agreement. “I think she just wants to play today,” he observed.

Ray humphed.

The three of them headed back across the fields, and without turning, Thranduil knew instantly when Amay had fallen back enough to turn her horse and let her run off her energy. He could feel her presence disappear.

“I assume she’s settled down now that Sophie’s gone?” Ray asked. It seemed that he too had sensed her disappearing.

“Yes,” Thranduil replied. “She was hurt though Ray, really hurt. She never expected her to do that to her.”

“Neither did I, to be honest,” he replied. “I know I always had issues with her, but I didn’t think she’d stoop that low. And trying to break you guys up…man, that’s just fucking low.”

Thranduil nodded. “I know,” he said softly. “As if we haven’t been through enough in our relationship.” From the corner of his eye, he watched Amay jump Starlight over a fence with beautiful grace and agility, both horse and rider landing perfectly.

“You guys are strong though,” Ray said philosophically. “I don’t know about you, but Amay just retreats into herself when she’s not with you. It’s almost like you’re her power source, her battery charger. The second you appear, she blossoms. It’s actually quite cute to watch.”

He smiled. “I feel incomplete when she’s not with me,” he admitted. “Now I have her in my life, I wonder how I got through the years without her.”

“Now you don’t have to think about being without her,” Ray said. “You two are forever.”

“I truly hope so,” he murmered. “Burnt out yet?” he asked Amay as she levelled with them and walked beside them.

She grinned. “Yeah. She was itching to run free, poor baby.” She patted a hand against Starlight’s neck, and she snorted softly in response.

Ray scowled at her, and landed in an undignified heap as he dismounted, handing Flame over to a stable hand Thranduil had hired.

She laughed, sliding off her horse and giving her a kiss on her forehead as she leaned towards her, almost as if she was expecting the gesture of affection. “You’re just a wuss,” she said to her friend, trailing a hand along the horse’s back as she was led away.

“I prefer two feet as opposed to four hooves,” he informed her. “I can control my own feet.”

“Not the last time I saw you on the dancefloor, you couldn’t,” she snorted. “You were all over the show like a fucking octopus on acid!”

He gasped dramatically. “Bitch.”

“Queen bitch, if you please,” she shot back. “I’m for a coffee…how about you guys?”

“Please,” Thranduil replied as he slid from Storm’s back.

Amay’s heart thudded and her throat went dry.

“I’m just going to use the bathroom,” he said. “I’ll be right over.”

She nodded, swallowing. “I’ll go and get it ready,” she said, and grabbed Ray’s sleeve. “C’mon, Tonto.”

“Fucking Tonto,” he muttered, allowing her to drag him from the stable.

Thranduil laughed heartily.

*****

Ray stayed for dinner, leaving mid-evening to go to the cinema on a ‘hot date’, as he put it. The day had gone really well, and both Amay and Thranduil were tired out from all the laughing and carrying on.

The girls had been bathed and were settled, and Legolas and Vicky were curled up on the couch watching a dvd.

Amay was washing the dinner dishes, while Thranduil dried them.

“I really enjoyed today,” she remarked, sliding another plate onto the drip rack. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen Ray so out of his depth in his life!”

He laughed. “It was definitely amusing,” he agreed. “But he was on a really quiet horse; Flame would not have gone too far with him. He’s very acute with his own instinct that way.”

“I still can’t believe you didn’t tell me you even had horses,” she said. “Imagine keeping that to yourself all this time.”

He shrugged. “I knew it would take a long time to arrange for them to be brought over, then the quarantine and everything. These things cannot be rushed, and I did not want you moping around sulking because things were taking too long. I know you – I know how excitable you are.” He grinned.

“I can’t help it,” she defended herself, flicking soapy water at him. “I get an idea in my head and I have to roll with it. I can’t be arsed hanging around waiting and wasting time.”

“Impulsive, much,” he said.

Her gaze dropped to his mouth as he leaned past her to reach for another plate to dry. He read the longing in her eyes.

At that moment, both their cell phones chirped.

“Dammit,” she muttered, grabbing a towel to wipe her hands. “Who the hell wants us now?” She lifted her phone from the worktop and scanned her message. “Bad news babe – the security alarm’s gone off in the club.”

He grunted. “I shall deal with it,” he said.

“I’ll go with you,” she replied.

“No, stay here with the girls,” he told her, dropping a swift kiss onto her mouth as he passed her. “I won’t be long. I’ll quickly check around, reset the alarm, then be straight back. You can have a leisurely soak in the bath while I’m gone…get yourself all relaxed for when I return.” A wicked gleam sparkled in his eyes as he walked away, lifting the car keys in the process.

Shaking her head with a grin, she resumed washing the plates, then went through to use the bathroom. On her way back, she leaned on the back of the couch and spent a good twenty minutes verbally tearing apart the movie her step-son and his girlfriend were engrossed in, pulling apart the plotline, the main characters, and everything else connected to it.

Legolas freaked out and yelled at her to clear off as she was spoiling it for him, and she laughed heartily as she left them to it and went back to the kitchen. Her phone beeped again, and she scowled at the offending object, muttering about flushing it down the nearest toilet.

Tapping on her incoming message icon, her heart stopped.

A photograph appeared on the screen.

Thranduil.

He was lying on the floor, blood streaming from a wound on his forehead.

A gun was held to his head.

*****

Her body went ice cold, and she started to tremble violently. Spinning round on her heel, she fled from the kitchen, taking off down the long hallway in a run, crashing out through the front door and hurtling down the driveway. Thranduil had taken the CRV, and she had no means of transport.

Flying out onto the road, traffic sped past. Catching sight of a cab in the flow, she leaped in front of it, tearing the passenger door open and throwing herself inside, gasping out the address of Indigo’s. The driver muttered something about folks always in a damned hurry, but followed her direction. She was still shaking as she dialled 911, demanding to be put through to the police. Telling them what had come through to her phone, her tears were free-flowing as she begged them to do something.

The operator assured her that a response unit would be dispatched, and under no circumstances should she attempt to approach the building or her husband.

“Fuck you,” she hissed to herself, cutting the connection. The cab pulled up outside the club, and she threw a handful of bills at the driver as she shot out and slammed the door. Sprinting around to the back entrance, she burst in through the fire exit door, panting hard. Her head spun in all directions, her inner radar searching for Thranduil.

She went along the back corridor and pushed open the swing door, crossing through onto the main floor.

“Ah…glad you could join us,” a voice drawled.

She didn’t respond, her gaze locked firmly on her husband who was still lying on the floor, his eyes closed. Her heart hammered in her chest.

Reluctantly pulling her gaze away, she focused on his attacker.

Danny grinned at her. “I thought that picture would bring you running,” he said. “Kudos where kudos are due – it didn’t take you long.”

She stayed silent.

He sniffed, lowering his weight onto a stool by the bar, the gun in his hand still trained on Thranduil. “You know what I’m here for,” he said.

“Do I?” she said.

His grin turned to a laugh. “You’re not as dense as you’d like me to think,” he said. “I know you, remember? I know what makes you tick.”

She held his stare, her blue eyes blazing into cold greenish-brown ones. “Enlighten me.”

“What makes the world go round, Amay?” he pondered, pretending to think. “Sex? No. Drugs? Nope…I don’t think that’s it. I know…money?” His eyes widened as he grinned maniacally. “Yes…I think it’s money.”

She lifted one eyebrow. “You’re barking up the wrong tree,” she told him. “I don’t have access to his fortune.”

“You don’t have to have,” he informed her as he leaned forwards, his tone low. “You’re married to the fucker. That makes you top of the tree to inherit when he dies.”

“Wrong,” she said instantly. “He already has a will drawn up. Everything except this place goes to his son.”

“Haaa! Do you honestly expect me to believe that bullshit?” he screeched incredulously. “Pull the other one, Amay.”

“I’m serious,” she replied, trying to stall for time. “This is the only thing I get, as a regular income. I get nothing else.”

“Don’t fucking lie to me!” he roared suddenly, leaping from the stool. “I know when you’re lying, I always did know when you lied to me.”

“What would I benefit right now from lying?” she demanded. “You’ve attacked my husband and have a gun pointed at him…why the fuck would I lie?!”

“You’re a twisted cow,” he yelled back. “There’s a reason for you. You’re just a cheating, lying, twisted little whore. Nothing else.”

She shook her head. “When did you turn into such a bastard?” she asked rhetorically. “You weren’t always like this.”

He scoffed. “Take those bloody rose-tinted glasses off and have a look at the real world,” he said. “I’m going places in life, and you’re going to help me get there.”

“I’m glad you think so,” she said. “Look…let’s take a look at the situation. If I had access to what you want, I’d give you it, because right now, you’ve got me over a barrel. But I _don’t,_ so there’s nothing I can do to fix this here and now.”

“Still not buying it!” he said in a sing-song voice.

“Your only way round this is to let me talk to him, get him to give me access,” she said. “And I can’t do that if he’s fucking out cold. What did you do to him?”

“Fucked him over the head with a baseball bat,” he said nonchalantly. “It comes in handy sometimes.”

She shook her head in disgust. “You make me sick,” she hissed.

“I make you sick?! What do you think you do to me?” he yelled. “I had to pretend to fucking enjoy being in bed with you, d’you think that was fucking easy? God knows how he manages it…” he waved the gun at Thranduil, drawing Amay’s eyes to her husband.

His eyes were open, and he was watching her, his long hair hiding most of his face.

She said nothing.

“Tell me…” Danny purred. “Who’s baby was it?”

She swallowed. “It was yours, and you know it,” she replied.

He scoffed. “No it wasn’t. More lies.”

“I never cheated,” she said quietly.

“More fool you, if that’s the case, although I seriously doubt it was,” he said. “I certainly had my fair share of fun.”

“That doesn’t surprise me.”

“And one of those bits of fun lasted,” he grinned. “You’d never guess who it was.”

“I’m not sure I want to,” she replied.

“Think someone close to home,” he said, trying to goad her. “Think of maybe…a relative?”

She shook her head, rolling her eyes. “You fucked my mother? That shows how desperate you were.”

His gaze hardened. “She’s more of a woman than you,” he snapped. “We’re going to be _very_ successful in our business venture. Very successful.”

“Good luck,” she shot back.

He moved his weight, pointing the gun at her. “Get me funds.”

“I told you, I can’t,” she said.

“Not good enough, Amay,” he replied, turning the gun to Thranduil.

“You need to give me time,” she said, her heart thumping. “I can’t just snap my fingers and make it appear.”

“Make some phone calls,” he commanded.

“I need it to come from him,” she said.

Thranduil lay four feet from her.

Danny jumped and whipped his head around as the doors crashed open, two police officers with their guns drawn bursting in.

“Police! Lower your weapon!” one of them roared, both guns trained on Danny. “Do it now!”

Danny glanced at Amay, at Thranduil, then back to Amay. “Nothing ventured, nothing gained,” he said.

She moved at lightning speed, throwing herself down on the floor in front of her husband, at the same time as her ex pulled the trigger. The two cops opened fire and he dropped to the floor.

Amay let out an ear-shattering scream as a bright red stain burst to life on Thranduil’s torso, and started to spread rapidly.


	59. The End Of The World Part 2

** CHAPTER FIFTY NINE **

****

Amay screamed and screamed.

The doors burst open as more police flew onto the floor, weapons ready. Two of them approached Danny and kicked the gun from his grasp, turning him over and checking his pulse.

Amay dragged herself over Thranduil, sobbing and crying. Blood smeared over her as she pressed hard onto the wound.

“Don’t you die on me, don’t you dare die on me!” she cried, gasping in terror. “Listen to me Thranduil, don’t you dare die!”

“An ambulance is on the way, m’am,” one of the officers told her. “Let me have a look.”

She refused to budge, her weight on the rapidly bleeding wound as she tried in vain to slow down the flow.

“Let me in, m’am,” he insisted, gripping her shoulders and trying to shift her.

“Get the fuck off me!” she screamed. “He’s losing too much blood! We need to stop the bleeding!”

“I need to have a look,” he insisted, and she reluctantly moved a little so he could position himself to assess Thranduil.

“I need you baby,” she cried, her eyes on her unconscious husband. “I need you, the babies need you, Legolas needs you…come back to me baby, please come back to me!”

“Medics ETA about four minutes,” one of the cops yelled from the doorway. “Coroner won’t be far behind.”

Amay vaguely registered that Danny must be dead, but she was too focused on Thranduil to give it any thought. “Stay with me, my love,” she pleaded. “Please don’t leave me…don’t leave me.”

The cop checked his pulse, saying nothing. After what seemed like an eternity, the doors opened once more to admit the paramedics, who quickly got to work once she was dragged bodily from him, crying hysterically.

Once they connected him to an IV and oxygen, they transported him on a stretcher out through the building and into the waiting ambulance, not wasting any time. Amay ran after them, throwing herself in the back. The doors slammed and they took off with the howl of sirens.

*****

Amay’s head was pounding.

Her eyes burned like hot coals with her non-stop crying. Her entire body had gone into meltdown, and she’d been violently sick. A nurse had brought her a coffee, but one mouthful had her spewing again.

The seats were cold and uncomfortable, the lights overhead harsh and blinding. People trailed past, wrapped up in their own affairs and living their own lives.

Amay felt dead inside. She wrapped her arms around herself, freezing cold and shaking.

A soft, warm blanket found its way around her shoulders, and she turned her dazed eyes to see Legolas standing beside her, watching her with concern in his blue eyes.

Gasping a deep breath of air into her lungs, she rose from her seat and wrapped her arms around him, crying her anguish as he embraced her. Neither of them spoke, just took what little comfort they could find in each other.

After a long time, he pulled back and gripped her upper arms. “You need to eat something,” he told her in a soft tone. “You need to keep your strength up.”

She shook her head, trying to wipe her tears away. “Where are the girls?” she asked.

“They’re back at the house, with Vicky,” he replied. “They are absolutely fine, don’t worry about them. I’m more concerned with you.”

She didn’t answer.

“How long have they been in there?” he asked, nodding his head towards the OR.

“Almost three hours,” she whispered. “Nobody has come out to say anything or to let me know what’s going on.”

He nodded. “That means they’re going hell for leather to save him,” he told her. “No news is good news.”

Her subconscious mind wondered where he had acquired his level-headedness, before coming to the conclusion he had inherited it from his father.

His father who was currently behind the OR doors, fighting for his life.

“You should have called me before,” Legolas told her gently. “I would have been here much sooner.”

She seemed blank, as if she was in a trance. “I didn’t know what to do,” she whispered. “I don’t…” She trailed off.

“I know,” he murmered, pulling her into a hug again. “I know.”

He pulled her back down onto the seat, sitting next to her and keeping one arm around her shoulders.

They waited.

And waited.

And waited.

Finally, the doors opened and a surgeon came out into the corridor, his scrubs covered in blood. He sank down onto the chair across from them, rubbing his forearm across his eyes.

The world tipped upside down as Amay registered that the blood was Thranduil’s.

Her heart stopped as he lifted exhausted eyes to hers.

“The bullet entered his left kidney,” he said. “We did all we could, but we had no choice but to perform a nephrectomy.”

She swallowed. “And?”

He nodded. “He’s critical. The next twenty four to forty eight hours will tell which way the situation will go. There was a lot of trauma to surrounding tissue, and he will be in ICU for at least two days, minimal.”

“Can I see him?” she asked, wiping her tears away.

He shook his head. “Not for another two hours, I’m afraid,” he replied. “But I’ll arrange it so that you can both be near the ICU, and as soon as you are allowed, the specialist team will let you in to be with him.” He paused. “Your husband is one lucky man, Mrs Oropherion.”

She nodded. “Thankyou for everything you’ve done,” she whispered, and Legolas nodded beside her.

“You’re welcome,” he said. “Your husband is strong, healthy, and has time on his side. There is no reason for us to believe he won’t make a full recovery, and function just fine with one kidney.”

Legolas took over the conversation, as Amay had zoned out and was lost within herself.

The next thing she remembered was sitting outside the ICU, still with her step-son at her side. Legolas had her hands in both of his, trying to rub some warmth into them.

“He’s made it this far,” he told her. “Stay strong, Amay. He’ll pull through. I know he will.”

She lifted tear-filled eyes to his. “I can’t live without him,” she said, her voice barely a whisper.

“You won’t have to,” he assured her. “I promise. There’s no way he’ll leave you and the girls. Or me. He wouldn’t trust me not to wreck the place if he wasn’t there to keep an eye on me.” He winked at her, and she offered a faint smile in return.

*****

She sniffed, closing her eyes as she leaned her cheek against the hospital blanket draped over her husband. The monitoring equipment beeped around her, the nurses moved around silently, and the dim light blanketed the entire room.

Her head was still throbbing, her eyes swollen and sore. She had no idea what time it was; whether it was day, night, or Christmas day.

She didn’t care.

Heat permeated through the blanket from him into her, but she was still ice cold. Her heart was broken in a way she wondered if she would ever recover. Would he still want her after this? Her ex partner had almost killed him, and she didn’t know how he would be able to see past that.

If he lived.

Hot, silent tears rolled down her cheek.

A soft touch gently swept them away, and her eyes flew open.

Thranduil was watching her, silently, his hand resting on her cheek.

She gasped, lifting herself upright. “Oh my God,” she whispered. “Oh my God…you’re awake…”

He blinked slowly, giving her the slightest hint of a nod. Drowsy and heavily drugged, his mind was blurred and unfocused, but he was aware of his true love in pieces at his bedside. With a mammoth effort, he moved his hand to take hers, his warm fingers wrapping tightly around hers as he closed his eyes again.

*****

Legolas drifted in and out, sitting at his father’s bedside, and going home to check on the girls then returning.

Amay didn’t leave Thranduil’s side. She was exhausted beyond her comprehension, but didn’t dare fall asleep. She had to be there when he awoke again, and had to be with him if he needed anything.

Nurses came past at regular intervals, checking his vitals and the monitors, then disappearing again.

By the time dawn lit up the sky the following morning, she was like a zombie. The nurses had attempted to talk her into going for a rest, but she’d snarled at them and they’d backed off, leaving her where she was.

Her eyes were burning like a volcano about to erupt and her head was nodding forwards every few minutes.

“You need sleep, baby,” a hoarse voice whispered.

She jerked upright, blinking hard to regain awareness of her surroundings.

Thranduil was awake, a little more colour to his cheeks. Ice blue eyes held hers, looking more alert and compos mentis than when he’d woken through the night.

“How are you feeling?” she asked softly, clutching his hand tightly in hers.

“Tired…sore…like I’ve been kicked up and down a football pitch,” he replied slowly.

She reached over and lifted a plastic tumbler of water, supporting his head so he could drink from it. “Not too much,” she said as he gulped it down.

He leaned back on the pillows, exhausted. “How are the babies?”

“Legolas and Vicky are with them,” she told him as she set the tumbler back on the bedside unit. “He’s been coming in and out all night. The girls are fine.”

“You should be with them,” he said, closing his eyes again.

“I need to be with you,” she whispered, tears trickling down her face. “I can’t leave.”

“I am not going anywhere,” he assured her.

She shook her head, her body trembling. “I thought you were going to die,” she said, her voice a broken whisper.

His eyes opened again, and focused on hers. “I promised I would never leave you, and I never will,” he said. “I need my three girls.”

A slight smile pulled at her mouth, and she took a huge breath as she struggled to maintain some sort of composure. “We need you more than you need us,” she said.

“I doubt it,” he replied.

“They had to remove your left kidney,” she said.

“I wasn’t using it anyway,” he said dryly, making her smile a little more.

“The surgeon says you should be able to lead a normal life,” she said.

“And I intend to,” he told her. He studied her for a moment or two. “Come here.”

She stood and leaned over him as he opened his arms, crying her heart out as he held her tightly against his body in a strong embrace. Shudders wracked through her as he held her.

“I love you so much,” he whispered into her ear. “Too much to ever consider being anywhere else other than at your side. I promise.”

She nodded, turning her face into his neck and inhaling his unique aroma. “I love you so much more.”

“No you do not,” he quipped, and pressed a soft kiss to her temple. He gently eased her away from him, searching her eyes. “Call Legolas and tell him to come, then call Ray and tell him to take you home. You need to be with our girls.”

She shook her head. “I’ll go and spend some time with them, but then I’m coming back,” she said, wiping her hands over her face. “I need to be with you.”

He nodded in acceptance. “Just remember they need you, my darling,” he told her. “They will be wondering where we are, even at this young age.”

She nodded, reluctantly releasing him as a nurse approached to assess his condition.

*****

Ray dutifully picked her up, taking her home and staying with her for the hour or so she spent with her children. Legolas remained at the hospital, with the family agreement that Thranduil always had someone at his side, whether he approved or not.

Giving the girls hugs and kisses, Amay got back into Ray’s car and he took her back to the hospital.

“You look a bit fresher, Peach,” he observed, glancing at her as he drove.

She’d showered and washed her hair, throwing the clothes that she’d been wearing straight in the trash. She doubted she would ever wear them again, the garments being a reminder of how close Thranduil had come to death.

“I feel a bit more human,” she answered. “Ray…I…” She trailed off.

He reached a hand over and gripped hers. “I know honey, I know,” he said softly. “You’ve come this far. Stay strong. He’ll be home before you know it.”

She nodded, turning to look out of the window at the city as it sped past.

The remainder of the drive was quiet. She flew up the stairs at the hospital to the ICU, not bothering to wait for the elevator. Legolas was heading down the corridor towards her, and smiled as he caught sight of her.

“He’s been moved into his own room,” he told her, enveloping her in a hug. “He’s out of ICU. He’s on the mend, Amay – he’s going to be alright.”

Relief flooded through her as she held onto him, silent tears falling.

“Don’t cry,” he said softly. “It’s going to be alright. Dad’s a fighter.”

She nodded, too caught up in her emotional mess to reply. He slid his arms from her and curled one arm through hers, supporting her as he took her up another floor to Thranduil’s room.

Her husband was sitting propped up with pillows, tucking into a sandwich. His colour had vastly improved, and his eyes had a familiar sparkle to them.

“Hi!” he exclaimed with a wide smile, putting his sandwich down and holding his arms out.

Amay flew into his embrace, wrapping her arms around him like she would never let go.

He laughed softly, gently rocking her form side to side. “Relax, baby,” he said. “I’m ok.”

“I’m going to head back with Ray,” Legolas said after a few minutes. “I’ll leave you guys together, and go look after my sisters. Call me if you need me?”

Thranduil nodded over Amay’s shoulder, and his son left the room. He pushed her back a little so he could look at her. “Do not cry, my darling,” he said softly. “I’m alright.”

“I was so scared,” she sobbed.

“I know, I know,” he consoled her. “But there is no need to be. I had an amazing team of surgeons looking after me, and I heal pretty rapidly. I shall be home with you and the babies before you even realise I am not there.”

She lowered her head, unable to halt her tears. Tears of fear, sadness, and relief.

He gently tipped her chin back up, leaning towards her and touching his mouth to hers in the softest, sweetest kiss she’d ever had. “Nothing will ever separate us,” he whispered.

She trailed her hands down his shoulders and his chest, coming to a stop at the bandages wrapped around his torso. “I did this,” she said, her voice so quiet he almost didn’t hear her.

A frown creased his forehead. “What do you mean?” he asked.

Heartbroken eyes lifted to his. “This is my fault,” she said. “I should be lying there, not you.”

He looked up at the ceiling above them and shook his head. “Do _not_ go there,” he warned. “We are not having this discussion. I am not up to it.”

Her eyes widened briefly in alarm.

“Well I am, but I am not going to talk about this,” he corrected. “Come on; lie down here with me. I need you in my arms.”

She went around to the other side of the bed so she was on his right side, away from his surgery site, and curled up on top of the blankets. His arms immediately went around her and held her in place, his warmth gradually seeping into her bones and her weary soul.

“I love you, my angel,” he whispered.

“I love you too,” she whispered back.

He held her gaze for a few moments, reading the anguish and the sadness that lived in her blue eyes, then tugged her tightly against him and closed his eyes.


	60. Looking To The Future

** CHAPTER SIXTY **

****

Thranduil left the hospital after four days.

Amay felt that was excessively fast, but nevertheless she was relieved to have him home. She fussed over him, wouldn’t let him do anything, and had Legolas, Vicky, and even Ray helping her to wait on him hand and foot.

He was going out of his mind.

“Amethyst, I cannot live like this!” he grunted in frustration, swinging his legs from the bed and standing up.

“Get back into bed,” she ordered, advancing on him with a basin of hot soapy water, a sponge, and a fresh bath towel.

“You are _not_ giving me a bed-bath,” he told her. “I am going for a shower, and that is the end of it.”

“No, stay where you are,” she insisted. “I’ll get Vicky to come in here if you don’t. And you’ll have no option but to get back in.”

He raised one eyebrow. “I do not care about nudity,” he informed her. “It is you females who are concerned with that, not us men. I am going for a shower. Step aside, woman.”

“Thranduil!”

“That is my name, do not wear it out,” he sighed, moving past her. “Look…I understand what you are trying to do, my love, but it is not necessary. I will be alright. I am going fucking crazy cooped up in bed all day and night.”

She glared at him, refusing to back down.

“Come in the shower with me,” he said suddenly.

Her eyebrows shot up. “What?” she squeaked.

“I’m serious. Come into the shower with me,” he repeated.

Her eyes dropped to the waterproof dressing that hid an ugly incision. “Don’t you think it’s too early-“

He grabbed her and hauled her into the bathroom, cutting off the flow of words. She squealed as he dragged her into the cubicle, turning the water on and soaking her to the skin. He laughed as he captured her mouth in a searing kiss, his tongue probing and demanding.

“Mmm, I have missed this,” he whispered, and kissed down her neck as he peeled her sodden clothing from her. “You’re afraid to touch me, like I will break. I assure you…I will not.”

“You need to be careful,” she gasped, holding onto his shoulders and wriggling out of the garments. Her flesh burned with need as she came into contact with his naked body. “Oh my God…”

Large hands slid up and down her body, caressing every curve and seeking out hidden places that would bring pleasure when touched.

“Thranduil…we can’t do this in here baby,” she gasped against his mouth as he crushed his lips to hers. “We should go back to the bedroom.”

He grunted, backing off a little. “Let me wash first,” he bargained. “Then you can look after me all you want.” An impish smirk accompanied his suggestion.

She tried in vain to hide her smile as she soaped him down, washed his hair and rinsed him off, with him doing the same to her. Wrapping them both in a massive fluffy towel, he crushed her mouth under his as he backed her out of the bathroom and across the thick carpet, carefully lowering them both down onto the bed.

Amay ended up on top, hoping to cause as little discomfort to him as possible, and they moved together on waves of passion, both marvelling in each other and the fact that they were in one another’s arms.

A long time after, she lay on her side curled up against him, absent-mindedly drawing little patterns on his heated flesh with her fingertips.

“I can hear your mind ticking over,” he said quietly, opening his eyes and gazing at her.

She blinked, holding his stare. Inhaling deeply, she propped herself up on one elbow.

“Talk to me,” he said.

“Do you still want to be with me?” she asked.

He blinked slowly. “I cannot believe you even ask that of me,” he sighed, turning his eyes up to the ceiling. “After we’ve just made love, you come out with a question like that.”

“You almost died because of me,” she said softly.

He glared at her sharply. “Stop that,” he said. He lifted himself to a sitting position, wincing as he moved. His shoulders were hunched, his long hair streaming down his back. He turned his head slightly, giving her his profile. “I do not want to hear such nonsense again.”

She sat up beside him, threading her fingers through his. “But I feel like it’s my fault,” she said, her tone low as she stared at their joined hands. As she looked up into his eyes, he could tell she was reliving the horror of him fighting for his life. “It was my ex who did this to you,” she went on. “If it hadn’t been for me, it would never have happened.”

He pursed his mouth, contemplating what she had just said. “There are idiots, psychotic nutters, and maniacs everywhere in this world,” he said eventually. “And they come in and out of people’s lives all the time. What happened was _not_ your fault, Amethyst. That psychopathic lunatic was on a mission, and nothing was going to stop him. My only feelings about the whole fucked up mess is that I am glad he shot me and not you.”

Tears burned her eyes, and she shook her head. “I would have taken that bullet for you,” she whispered brokenly. “I prayed so hard while you were in the OR for me to die to let you live.”

He swallowed away the lump in his throat, putting an arm around her and pulling her tightly against his side. “Nobody had to die, sweetheart, except him. And he asked for it. He was given the chance to back down, and he refused. I did not deserve to, and neither did you. Get those thoughts out of your head.”

A tremor shuddered through her as she clung to him.

“I told you…nothing is ever going to come between us or keep us apart,” he said, kissing her temple. “Nothing. Relax and believe in me.”

“I do,” she said, crying quietly. “I just…” She trailed off. “I can’t get past this, Thranduil. I’m terrified I’m going to lose you, that the girls are going to lose their father. And we can’t lose you; we need you.”

“And I need you three also,” he told her. “And Legolas, and Vicky, Bard…and everyone else who is dear to me. I am not going anywhere. I promise.” He tipped her chin up, his eyes gazing deep into her broken soul. “What did I tell you about my promises?”

“That you do not break them.”

He smiled. “And I do not.”

*****

Amay swallowed a mouthful of coffee, her gaze on Legolas as he lay on his back on the couch, Amaris held up above him, wriggling and giggling.

“Do you want to keep Indigo’s?” she pondered, turning her gaze to Thranduil.

He looked at her. “Why wouldn’t I?” he asked.

She shrugged. “Memories?”

“Which is exactly why I want to keep it,” he replied. “Amethyst, I know where you are with this. But there are so many amazing memories for me there. Sam, the connection I had with him, meeting you, dancing with you, just being with you…Indigo’s is a part of me that I do not wish to give to anyone else.”

She nodded slowly, dropping her gaze back to her step-son and her daughter.

“Do you wish to leave it?”

She looked back at her husband as he posed his question. “I don’t know,” she replied truthfully. “Deep down – no. But I can’t go back in there just now. I just can’t.”

“I understand,” he said, and took her hand in his across the breakfast bar. “And when you do feel ready, I will be at your side.”

“Will you be alright going back in?” she asked with a frown.

“I am not the one having flashbacks and nightmares,” he told her. “You talk in your sleep, my darling, and you fight like hell when you are having a bad dream,” he added at her look of confusion.

Several times since his return home, she’d woken him up from a deep sleep, distressed at the traumatic memories her mind was throwing at her as she slept. Each time he’d pulled her into his arms, kissing her tenderly until she settled. She never woke up, but eventually relaxed in his arms and went into a deeper sleep.

“That is your unnecessary guilt doing that to you,” he said. “It will pass, once you realise that you have nothing to feel guilty or responsible about.”

“Dad’s right,” Legolas piped up in the middle of making airplane noises as he swirled Amaris around in circles above his head, still lying on the couch. “We did a paper on psychology during the Easter break last year.”

“She’ll puke on you if you keep going,” she observed, ignoring his philosophical input.

He grunted. “My baby sister can do anything she likes, and still be as cute,” he laughed, making faces at her as she giggled and screeched.

Amay shook her head and looked away. “I am not cleaning up vomit.”

Thranduil smirked, still holding her hand. “Do you realise just how happy and contented I am?” he asked her. “I have everything anyone could ever wish for, right here, in this room. You, my son, and my two adorable daughters. That is all I could ever need, ever wish for. Live life for today, my angel, not yesterday.”

“It’s maybe easier said than done,” she said, twisting her coffee cup in circles.

“Your ex is dead and gone, my love. Let the past and the painful memories be buried with him,” he advised. “There can be no good achieved by dragging it around. Set it free and look forwards.”

She studied him. “You should’ve been a psychologist,” she murmered. “And you’re always telling me to let go of the past.”

“That’s because I am right,” he replied, although not in a conceited way. “What good can it do to keep hold of it? It taints today, it taints tomorrow. That is not living, that is being afraid of what the future holds.”

“He admitted having an affair with my mother…did you hear him?”

He nodded. “I am not surprised to be honest,” he told her. “Although I think we have seen the last of her now this has happened. She will not venture back here after what happened to him.”

“I never ever thought you would pay the price for my past,” she said.

His hold on her hand tightened, and he lifted one eyebrow in silent warning.

Legolas interrupted the moment by letting out a howl, and they both glanced over to see that Amaris had indeed vomited.

“Told you,” Amay smirked, letting go of Thranduil’s hand and getting to her feet. “You can’t swirl her around like a bloody helicopter and not expect something to come from it. Give her to me, you idiot.”

Thranduil tried to contain his grin as she swept her daughter away and handed her over.

“Go and get in the shower,” she told Legolas, shoving him off the couch. “Disinfectant – here we come.”

*****

Thranduil leaned his forearms on the fence and watched Amay gallop around the field on Starlight. The magnificent horse moved with such grace and elegance, given her size. Amay seemed right at home on her back, seeming to blend in as one with her, where horse and rider became the one being.

A sense of deep peace settled over him as his blue eyes watched them. Starlight jumped a gate and executed a perfect landing, turning around and trotting in circles as Amay patted her neck and spoke to her. Her head lifted and she caught her husband’s eye, and he beckoned her over.

Starlight turned towards him and trotted over, giving him a soft snort of welcome as she nuzzled his shoulder.

“You look amazing on her,” he said with a smile. “It’s almost like you and her are meant to be together.”

“She’s an amazing horse babe, she seems to know what I’m thinking, if that makes any sense,” she replied, sliding down in an elegant dismount. She slid the bridle from the magnificent animal, and kissed her forehead as she leaned down expectantly, knowing she would receive the gesture of affection.

Looping the bridle through the fence, she climbed over and took Thranduil’s hand, and they turned and slowly walked back towards the house.

“I have a surprise for you,” he told her, glancing at her as he swung their joined hands between them.

“Oh,” she said. “I have one for you too.”

“Would you like to go first?” he asked.

“Nope. You first.”

He stopped, a grin on his face. “Bard is flying in this evening,” he said. “And the three children are coming with him.”

Amay’s face lit up. “Oh wow…I can’t wait!” she exclaimed. “I’ve missed Bard, and I can’t wait to meet his kids.”

He nodded, resuming their ambling pace again. “They are amazing children, and a credit to him,” he told her.

“I’m not exactly surprised he’s coming babe, I thought he would after what you’ve been through,” she said.

“What we have been through,” he corrected her. “I did not go through it alone, my love. We went through it as a couple. Remember that. What you feel, I feel.”

She smiled. “That goes double for me,” she replied. “I feel every beat of your heart, everything about you.”

“And I you,” he said, stopping once more. “So maybe your surprise is not as much of a surprise as you are expecting it to be.”

She frowned slightly. “Uh-uh. There is no way on this earth you could know this,” she grinned. “Not unless you have psychic capabilities.”

“Who says I do not?” he quipped.

“Ok smart-arse,” she laughed. “What is my surprise?”

Ice blue eyes gazed into hers, penetrating into her soul.

“You are pregnant,” he whispered.

Her eyes widened in shock.

He laughed.

“How did you know?” she spluttered. “Thranduil…we’ve beaten science again, the odds are astronomical! How on earth did you know? I’ve only just found out myself!”

His eyes sparkled. “You have a glow, my darling,” he told her, gently caressing her cheek. “I noticed it a couple of days ago. Maybe it is something only I can see, but it is definitely there. A soft, warm glow coming from inside you.”

She gaped up at him, astounded that he already knew.

“And besides…you are slowly losing your taste for coffee,” he said. “You only drink half a cup at a time, and you are not making it as often as you normally do. I see everything.”

“How do you feel about it?” she asked.

“About you drinking coffee? That is your choice,” he said.

“No, you big nutter!” she laughed. “About another baby.”

“I knew what you meant,” he laughed. His face changed, his eyes taking on a serious look. “I am over the moon,” he said softly. “I love you, I love babies, and I love making them with you.”

She closed her eyes as he lowered his head and brushed his warm mouth over hers. Strong arms slid around her waist, holding her body tightly against his as she lost herself in his kiss.

Pulling back a little for air, she ran her hands through his hair. “I love you so much,” she told him. “And I always will.”

“And I love you too, my precious Amethyst,” he whispered. “Always and forever.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, Amethyst and Thranduil's love seems to have stood the test of time. They've beaten considerable odds and come through a few wars, but they've managed to stay true to each other. 
> 
> Many thanks to those of you who have stuck by me through this, both those who commented and gave me the inspiration to keep going, and those who are silent readers - the stats speak for themselves :) I've loved every step along the way with these two, and am almost reluctant to let them go.
> 
> I'm not ruling out a possible sequel sometime in the future, it all depends on feedback and whether or not I have any ideas left to put Amay and Thranduil through. Feel free to comment with thoughts and ideas if you think there should be a part two.
> 
> My next story, The Power Of The White Gems, starts tomorrow, so hopefully some of you like my work enough to check it out.
> 
> Finally, I'd like to dedicate Indigo And Amethyst to Mikey, my big cat who sadly passed away during my creation of this story and took part of my heart with him. A special big boy who will always be remembered x


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